OF 


HARRIET    WARE, 

FIRST   SUPERINTENDENT    OF    THE    CHILDREN'S   HOME,  IN 
THE  CITY  OF  PROVIDENCE. 


"  She  hath  been  a  succourer  of  many." 

Romans,  xvi.  2. 


PROVIDENCE: 

GEORGE     H.WHITNEY, 
1850. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1840,  by 

GEORGE  H.  WHITNEY, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of 
Rhode  Island. 


BOSTON  : 

THUHSTOX,   TORIir   t    COMPANY,   PRINTERS, 

31  Devonshire  Struct. 


PREFACE. 


WHEN  it  was  first  proposed  to  prepare  for  the  press 
a  Memoir  of  Harriet  Ware,  it  was  believed  that  a  large 
number  of  her  letters  could  be  collected,  from  which 
a  suitable  volume  might  be  compiled.  This  expecta- 
tion, however,  proved  to  be  unfounded.  A  few  years 
before  her  death,  she  had  destroyed  all  her  manuscripts, 
and  among  them,  probably,  a  personal  account  of  her 
labors  in  connection  with  the  Children's  Friend  Society. 
There  remained,  therefore,  no  record  of  her  life,  except 
that  which  could  be  gleaned  from  letters  written  in 
haste,  frequently  at  long  intervals,  and  without  the 
most  distant  expectation  that  they  would  meet  the  eye 
of  any  other  person  than  the  friend  to  whom  they 
were  addressed.  Of  such  materials  the  present 
volume  is  composed.  Imperfect  as  the  record  may 
appear,  it  will  not,  perhaps,  be  wholly  devoid  of 


IV  PREFACE. 

interest,  as  it  contains  all  that  remains  of  the  writings 
of  one,  who,  by  elevated  Christian  character,  and 
most  disinterested  benevolence,  had  greatly  endeared 
herself  to  a  large  number  of  the  citizens  of  Provi- 
dence. 

The  publication  of  the  work  has  been  for  several 
months  delayed,  at  first  from  the  hope  that  a  larger 
amount  of  materials  might  be  collected  ;  and  afterwards, 
in  consequence  of  engagements  which  could  not  be 
laid  aside.  This  delay  has  not,  however,  been  without 
its  advantages,  as  two  of  the  most  valuable  communi- 
cations which  the  volume  contains,  were  received  only 
a  few  weeks  since.  * 

The  compiler  has  divided  the  work  into  three 
chapters,  each  of  which  comprises  the  letters  written 
by  Miss  Ware  during  a  distinct  period  of  her  life. 
The  first  contains  letters  written  previous  to  her  resi- 
dence at  India  Point ;  the  second,  those  written  during 
her  residence  there  ;  and  the  third,  those  written  from 
the  commencement  of  her  connection  with  the  Chil- 
dren's Friend  Society  to  the  close  of  her  life.  To 
each  of  these  chapters,  a  few  explanatory  remarks  are 

*  Since  the  sheets  have  passed  out  of  the  editor's  hands,  some 
additional  communications  have  been  received,  which  it  has  not 
been  in  his  power  to  read. 


f 


PREFACE.  V 

prefixed,  principally  with  the  design  of  giving  conti- 
nuity to  the  narrative. 

It  is,  I  presume,  superfluous  to  add,  that  if  any 
profits  should  accrue  from  the  sale  of  this  little  volume, 
they  will  be  the  property  of  the  Children's  Friend 
Society,  the  exclusive  owners  of  the  copyright. 

BHOWN  UNIVERSITY,  MARCH  21,  1849. 


MEMOIR  OF  HARRIET  WARE. 


MEMOIE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

HARRIET  WARE  was  born  in  Paxton,  Massa- 
chusetts, on  the  12th  of  July,  1799. 

,  Her  father  was  a  respectable,  intelligent,  and 
amiable  man,  of  high  moral  principle  and  great 
personal  worth,  but  not  a  professor  of  religion. 
Her  mother  was  a  devout  and  active  Christian, 
remarkable  for  the  same  independence  and 
decision  of  character  that  distinguished  her 
daughter. 

In  early  life  Miss  Ware  was  gay  and  thought- 
less, and  wholly  devoted  to  the  search  after 
pleasure.  Throughout  her  life,  whatever  she 
pursued  she  pursued  with  her  whole  heart. 
Yet  even  then  the  irrepressible  kindness  of 
her  nature  was  frequently  exhibited  in  acts  of 
self-denying  and  almost  romantic  benevolence, 
1 


6  MEMOIR    OF 

which  left  a  deep  impression  on  the  memory  of 
her  early  associates.  Being  the  eldest  daughter, 
she  occupied  a  prominent  place  in  the  family, 
and  gave  early  indications  of  that  decision  and 
energy  which  she  so  fully  exhibited  in  subse- 
quent life.  Her  character  was  strongly  marked 
and  eminently  natural.  Religion  purified,  enno- 
bled, and  harmonized  its  elements  ;  but,  from 
the  structure  of  her  mind,  an  observer  would 
easily  perceive  that  no  change  of  circumstances 
or  condition  could  have  made  her  any  thing 
else  than  a  strong-minded,  original,  benevolent, 
and  sagacious  woman. 

About  the  year  1819,  Miss  Ware  became 
personally  interested  in  the  subject  of  religion  ; 
and  in  September  of  that  year,  having  removed 
to  Franklin,  Mass.,  she  made  a  public  profession 
of  her  faith,  and  united  herself  with  the  church 
in  that  town,  under  the  pastoral  charge  of  the 
late  Dr.  Emmons.  The  whole  force  of  her 
character  was  now  turned  in  a  new  direction. 
Her  renunciation  of  the  world  was  sincere  and 
universal,  and  most  earnestly  did  she  labor  to 
follow  in  the  footsteps  of  Him  "  who  went 
about  doing  good."  With  the  hope  of  extend- 
ing the  sphere  of  her  usefulness,  she  attended  a 
private  school  for  some  time,  and  then  com- 


HARRIET    WARE.  6 

menced  her  labors  as  a  teacher.  She  first 
taught  a  school  in  Union,  Me.,  but  soon  re- 
moved to  the  southern  part  of  Rhode  Island, 
where  she  was  employed  as  a  teacher  until  her 
removal  to  Providence. 

During  the  period  of  her  residence  in  Rhode 
Island,  a  perceptible  change  seems  to  have 
taken  place  in  her  religious  character.  Her 
views  of  the  great  doctrines  of  religion  seem 
to  have  become  more  definite  and  impressive, 
and  her  inmost  spirit  was  brought  into  more 
immediate  subjection  to  the  teachings  of  the 
Word  of  God.  Hence,  also,  her  faith  became, 
in  an  unusual  degree,  simple,  confiding,  and 
absolute.  There  was  something  in  her  trust  in 
God,  under  all  circumstances,  during  her  subse- 
quent life,  which  reminded  one  of  the  faith  of 
martyrs  and  primitive  Christians.  She  received 
the  precepts  of  the  Gospel  as  the  commands  of 
a  parent  addressed  to  a  beloved  child.  The 
promises  of  God  were  to  her  no  vague  generali- 
ties, but  positive  assurances,  on  which  she  relied 
with  earnest,  humble,  and  whole-hearted  confi- 
dence. It  is  natural  to  believe  that  this  deep 
religious  trust,  uniting  itself  with  natural  firm- 
ness of  character,  would  prepare  her,  in  an 
unusual  degree,  for  works  of  independent  and 


4  MEMOIR    OF 

original  usefulness.  Her  native  resolution  be- 
came calmer,  but  more  firm  and  unwavering ; 
for  it  derived  its  energy  from  intimate  com- 
munion with  God.  Her  decisions  were  not  the 
mere  impulses  of  an  indomitable  spirit,  but  the 
purposes  of  a  soul  assured  that  it  was  fulfilling 
the  commands  of  its  Father  who  is  in  heaven. 

Hence  it  was  that  Miss  Ware  was  led  to 
undertake  labors,  from  which  others  of  her  sex 
would  commonly  have  shrunk,  and  to  devise 
ways  of  usefulness  which  others  have  never 
attempted.  For  the  same  reason  she  seemed  to 
rely  on  herself,  and  to  follow  the  suggestions  of 
her  own  mind,  with  a  confidence  which,  to 
those  who  did  not  understand  her  principles, 
sometimes  seemed  obstinacy.  She  had  early 
learned  to  rely  so  exclusively  on  God,  and  to  be 
guided  so  entirely  by  her  own  convictions  of 
duty,  and  the  path  in  which  she  was  to  walk 
had  been  so  often  pointed  out  to  her,  that  she 
seemed  not  to  feel,  as  much  as  most  persons, 
the  need  of  human  aid.  God  had  so  often 
appeared  for  her  when  other  helpers  failed,  that 
she  had  learned  habitually  to  expect  his  inter- 
ference in  her  behalf.  With  such  views,  it  is 
not  surprising  that  she  removed  to  Rhode  Island 
in  order  to  commence  a  school,  in  what  she  then 


HARRIET    WARE.  5 

supposed  to  be  one  of  the  most  destitute  regions 
of  New  England.  It  was  for  the  same  reason 
that  she  was  directed  to  India  Point,  the  most 
neglected  spot  in  Providence.  Her  motive  for 
going  there  was  to  do  good  to  those  whom  all 
other  persons  believed  to  be  irreclaimable,  and 
her  purpose  was  rendered  immovable  by  the 
attempts  of  her  friends  to  dissuade  her  from  the 
enterprise. 

The  reader  would  however  greatly  err,  if  he 
supposed  Miss  Ware  to  be,  in  any  respect,  ab- 
stracted, gloomy,  or  fanatical.  Her  nature  was 
remarkably  genial,  and  her  sympathy  for  all  the 
forms  of  suffering,  intense.  Her  love  of  chil- 
dren amounted  to  a  passion.  She  seemed  "  to 
rejoice  as  in  hid  treasure,"  whenever  she  had 
added  to  the  number  of  her  charge  a  forsaken 
and  friendless  orphan ;  and  the  more  destitute 
the  child  appeared,  the  feebler  and  the  more 
helpless,  the  better  did  she  love  it,  and  delight 
to  watch  over  it  with  more  than  maternal  soli- 
citude. And  if  any  of  the  children  that  she 
was  thus  attempting  to  rescue  from  destruction 
turned  out  badly,  it  was  surprising  to  observe 
the  variety  of  expedients  which  she  employed 
to  incline  them  to  virtue.  If  a  boy  or  girl  was 
presented  to  the  care  of  the  society,  of  a  singu- 


G 


MEMOIR    OF 


larly  bad  reputation,  she  was  peculiarly  anxious 
to  receive  it,  with  the  evident  feeling  that,  to 
reclaim  such  an  one,  was  a  special  triumph  of 
benevolence.  In  this  kind  of  labor  she  was 
eminently  successful,  and  her  experiences  re- 
called to  mind  the  saying  of  the  missionary 
Eliot,  when  he  had  translated  the  Bible  into 
one  of  the  languages  of  the  aborigines,  "  Pray- 
ers and  pains,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  can 
accomplish  any  thing." 

Nor  was  this  earnest  and  expansive  benevo- 
lence, in  the  case  of  Miss  Ware,  at  all  allied  to 
that  indiscriminate  kindness  which  is  easily 
rendered  the  dupe  of  every  artful  impostor.  On 
the  contrary,  she  was  remarkable  for  search- 
ing shrewdness  of  observation,  and  instinctive 
knowledge  of  character.  No  one  more  readily 
discriminated  between  acting  arid  seeming  to 
act,  between  sentimental  talk  and  earnest  pur- 
pose, or  more  correctly  measured  the  amount 
and  quality  of  the  capacity  of  those  with  whom 
she  was  called  .to  act.  By  a  single  epithet, 
casually  and  probably  inadvertently  thrown  in, 
it  would  be  evident  that  scarcely  a  social  or 
intellectual  bias,  in  those  with  whom  she  was 
conversant,  escaped  her.  In  common  with  most 
persons  of  original  thought,  she  had  a  strong 


HARRIET    WARE.  / 

bias  to  humor,  and  even  to  drollery.  This  gave, 
at  times,  great  point  and  interest  to  her  conver- 
sation, and  not  unfrequently,  even  when  suffer- 
ing under  distressing  pain,  extracted  a  smile 
from  those  who  were  all  but  weeping  around 
her.  These  slight  intimations  of  her  character 
seemed  requisite,  in  order  to  enable  the  reader 
to  sympathize  in  the  sentiments  which  breathe 
through  the  following  letters.  They  present  at 
best  but  a  most  imperfect  representation  of  the 
mind  and  heart  of  their  author.  They  are 
merely  extracts  of  such  of  her  letters  as  could  be 
collected,  but  they  will  not,  I  trust,  be  wholly 
without  interest ;  since  they  contain  all  the 
written  memorials  that  remain  of  a  remarkable 
and  most  benevolent  woman. 


EXTRACTS    OF    LETTERS 

Written  by  Miss  Ware,  from  the  time  of  her  profession  of  religion 
to  her  removal  to  Providence,  1319 —  1830. 


RELIGIOUS    EXPERIENCE. 

Miss  WARE  united  with  the  Congregational 
Church  in  Franklin,  Mass.,  September  26,  1819. 


MEMOIR    OF 

The  following  is  the  relation  of  her  religious 
experience,  transcribed  from  the  original  copy. 

FRANKLIN,  SEPT.  23,  1847. 

I  HAVE  great  reason  to  rejoice  that  I  was 
born  of  parents,  by  whom  I  was  early  devoted 
to  God  in  baptism,  and  in  a  land  of  Gospel 
light,  where  I  have  enjoyed  means  sufficient, 
not  only  to  become  acquainted  with  the  char- 
acter of  God,  but  with  my  duty  towards  Him  ; 
but  ought  to  be  deeply  humbled  that  I  have 
lived  the  greatest  part  of  my  life  in  an  entire 
forgetfulness  of  the  obligations  I  was  under  to 
love  and  serve  Him.  Since  the  year  1816,  my 
peace  has  been  frequently  disturbed  by  fearful 
apprehensions  of  punishment,  but  am  not  con- 
scious of  ever  realizing  sin  in  itself  as  an  infinite 
evil,  until  the  last  year,  in  the  course  of  which, 
God  was  pleased  to  set  home  divine  truth  upon 
my  conscience.  I  then  saw  that  I  was  without 
God  in  the  world.  Religion  appeared  the  one 
thing  needful.  I  thought  I  was  willing  to  sacri- 
fice every  other  enjoyment  for  an  interest  in 
Christ.  But  this  was  very  far  from  relieving 
my  mind.  On  hearing  a  sermon  preached  from 
John  i.  29,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  which 
taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world,"  I  plainly 


HARRIET    WARE.  » 

/ 

saw  that  Christ  had  offered  himself  a  sacrifice 
for  sin,  and  that  He  was  then  inviting  all  to 
come  to  Him  that  they  might  have  life.  I  sen- 
sibly felt  that  my  sins  had  separated  me  from 
God,  and  that  it  was  entirely  out  of  my  power 
to  do  any  thing  to  recommend  myself  to  His 
favor.  In  this  hopeless  situation  I  humbly  trust 
I  was  enabled,  through  divine  grace,  to  commit 
myself  unreservedly  into  the  hands  of  God.  I 
thought  I  felt  satisfaction  in  being  a  creature  in 
the  hands  of  a  holy  God.  Soon  after,  I  found 
myself  involved  in  darkness,  and  was  left  to 
believe  that  I  was  a  stranger  to  saving  faith  in 
Christ.  But  I  have  since  cherished  the  hope 
that  my  trust  and  confidence  was  in  God. 
Christians  now  appear  amiable ;  the  Sabbath, 
which  was  once  long  and  tiresome,  now  ap- 
pears like  a  day  of  sacred  rest ;  the  Bible, 
which  once  appeared  like  a  sealed  book,  is  now 
a  source  of  pleasant  and  profitable  instruction. 

I  think  I  have  now  a  desire  to  be  on  the 
Lord's  side,  and  feel  it  a  duty  to  unite  with 
His  people  in  this  place.  I  do  therefore  offer 
myself  to  this  Church,  soliciting  your  accept- 
ance of  me,  and  prayers  for  me  and  watchful- 
ness over  me,  that  I  may  live  agreeable  to  the 
profession  I  now  make. 

HARRIET  WARE. 


10  MEMOIR    OF 

The  remaining  letters  are  inserted  in  the 
order  in  which  they  were  written,  and  do  not, 
that  I  am  aware,  need  any  explanation. 

FRANKLIN,  JAN.  2,  1825. 

To  MRS.  C.  M.  My  dear  C.  —  I  have  before 
related  to  you  something  of  the  interesting 
season  I  have  passed  at  Salem,  and  have  now 
hinted  at  the  general  state  of  feeling  in  this  our 
beloved  Franklin.  Do  you  not  ask  how  your 
friend  H.  stands  affected  with  all  this  ?  Could 
I  enjoy  that  free  and  familiar  conversation 
which  I  have  thought  so  great  a  privilege  in 
former  days,  I  think  I  could  speak  freely  on  the 
subject.  I  scarcely  dare  to  write,  lest  I  should 
give  you  reason  to  think  that  I  have  felt  more 
than  I  really  have.  When  I  first  left  Franklin 
it  was  peculiarly  trying,  as  you  may  well  sup- 
pose, to  be  entirely  separated  from  every  friend 
in  whom  I  could  discover  the  least  similarity  of 
sentiment  or  feeling.  I  viewed  it  as  a  severe 
correction,  but  was  very  far  from  exercising  any 
thing  like  corresponding  affections  towards  Him 
from  whom  it  was  sent.  I  really  felt  that  I  was 
the  Achan  to  be  removed,  before  God  could 
pour  out  His  Spirit  upon  this  church,  and  on 
that  ground  thought  I  felt  a  kind  of  hypocritical 


HARRIET    WARE.  11 

submission  ;  but,  my  dear  friend,  I  have  since 
thought  that  I  enjoyed  some  evidence  that  God 
was  dealing  with  me  in  covenant  love  and 
faithfulness.  If  I  am  not  deceived,  I  have 
been  enabled  to  say,  with  a  degree  of  sincerity, 
"  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  Thee  ?  and  there 
is  none  on  earth  that  I  desire  besides  Thee."  It 
truly  appears  like  infinite  condescension  in  the 
High  and  Holy  One,  thus  to  deal  with  the 
vilest  of  all,  who  are  permitted  to  hope  in  His 
mercy.  I  left  Franklin  with  deep  regret,  feared 
the  consequence,  though  I  had  promised  never 
again  to  distrust  a  wise  Providence.  And  now, 
my  dear  C.,  though  I  have  reason  to  be  aston- 
ished at  my  criminal  coldness,  neglect  of  duty, 
and  unconcern  for  the  salvation  of  precious  and 
immortal  souls,  for  whom  Christ  suffered  and 
died ;  yet,  at  times,  since  my  return,  I  think  I 
have  enjoyed  a  nearness  of  access  to  the  throne 
of  divine  grace  that  is  to  rne  almost  new.  I 
have  peculiar  trials,  but  think  I  can  sincerely 
rejoice  in  committing  all  that  life  holds  dear 
into  the  hands  of  Him,  who  suffereth  not  a 
sparrow  to  fall  to  the  ground  without  Him,  and 
who  will  certainly  be  glorified  in  all  the  works 
of  His  hands.  I  have  already  said  too  much  of 
self;  you  know  I  always  do.  Will  you  pray 


12  MEMOIR   OF 

for  me  and  for  this  people,  that  God  would  take 
from  us  whatever  is  offensive,  prepare  to  receive 
a  blessing,  and  in  His  time  pour  it  out  ? 


HOPKINTON,  AUGUST  19,  1828. 
To  Miss  M.  —  But  O  my  heart,  what  iniquity 
reigns  there  !  I  find  it  a  cage  of  every  unclean 
bird  ;  but  how  little  do  I  know  of  the  depths 
of  its  iniquity.  I  am  continually  crying  out, 
guilty,  guilty,  as  did  Judas ;  but  greatly  fear 
that  I  have  never  known  any  thing  of  the  peni- 
tence of  Peter.  I  know  indeed  something  about 
the  Spirit,  but  if  I  have  been  born  of  the  Spirit, 
where  are  the  fruits  of  righteousness  ?  I  cannot 
find  them  in  my  life.  I  know  not  of  a  single 
soul  who  would  have  been  led,  from  my  exam- 
ple, to  glorify  their  Father  in  heaven.  I  have 
long  been  a  companion  of  the  wise,  and  still 
hold  the  lamp  in  my  hand  ;  but,  my  friend,  I 
fear  I  have  not  a  drop  of  that  kind  of  oil  which 
will  continue  to  burn  when  the  midnight  cry 
shall  be  made.  I  have  just  religion  enough, 
and  hardly  that,  to  strip  the  world  of  every 
charm,  but  not  enough  to  raise  my  heart  in 
humble  gratitude  and  adoration  to  the  great 
Source  of  all  happiness.  Will  you  not  fervently 


HARRIET    WARE.  13 

pray  for  me,  that,  if  I  have  built  upon  the  sand, 
my  hopes  may  be  swept  away,  before  it  is  for- 
ever too  late ;  and  if  upon  the  rock  Christ  Jesus, 
that  I  may  possess  and  manifest  more  the  spirit 
of  my  Divine  Master  ? 


RESOLUTIONS. 

HOPKINTON,  SEPT.  7,  1828. 

IN  view  of  the  wretched  state  of  a  vast  num- 
ber of  the  human  family  who  are  ignorant  of 
the  only  name  given  under  heaven,  whereby 
men  can  be  saved,  and  of  the  astonishing  mercy 
of  God  towards  so  vile  a  worm,  that  he  not  only 
has  caused  the  glorious  light  of  the  Gospel  to 
shine  upon  me,  and  permitted  me  to  indulge 
a  trembling  hope  of  pardon  and  acceptance 
through  the  merits  of  a  once  crucified  Re- 
deemer, but  in  various  ways  has  so  signally 
distinguished  me  in  his  providential  dealings  ; 
I  feel  it  a  sacred  duty  and  privilege  to  inquire 
what  I  shall  render  unto  the  Lord  for  all  His 
benefits.  In  humble  dependence  on  God  for 
His  gracious  assistance, 

Resolved,  that  the  ensuing  year  shall  be  more 
exclusively  devoted  to  the  cause  of  Christ  in 
the  world  than  any  preceding. 


14  MEMOIR   OF 

Resolved,  that  both  by  my  influence,  and  by 
contributing  of  my  substance,  I  will  try  to  pro- 
mote the  benevolent  objects  presented  before 
the  Christian  public. 

Resolved,  that  if  God  should  preserve  my 
health,  and  so  far  prosper  me  that  it  can  be 
consistent,  I  will  devote  at  least  $ exclu- 
sively to  such  benevolent  objects  as  God  in  His 
providence  shall  point  out,  praying  for  His  di- 
rection and  blessing. 

Resolved,  that  I  will  spend  no  more  time  in 
sleep  than  I  think  my  health  requires  ;  that  I 
will  try,  as  far  as  possible,  to  improve  all  my 
time,  so  dividing  it  between  labor,  study,  devo- 
tion, and  rest,  as  is  best  calculated  to  promote 
the  specified  object ;  and  to  this  end,  I  will 
strive  to  maintain  a  realizing  conviction  that 
the  eye  of  God  is  upon  me,  and  that  I  am  con- 
stantly and  entirely  dependent  upon  Him,  and 
in  this  dependence  may  I  find  both  strength  and 
safety. 

Resolved,  that  every  day  shall  begin  (if  not 
prevented  by  positive  reason)  with  reading  the 
Bible  in  a  devout  manner,  and  humble  prayer  to 
God  for  the  influences  of  His  Spirit,  not  only 
to  enable  me  to  walk  as  becometh  a  professed 
follower  of  Christ,  but  that  they  may  descend 


HARRIET    WARE.  15 

on  the  world  of  mankind  in  general,  and  His 
own  dear  children  in  particular.  And  may  the 
Lord,  for  the  sake  of  Jesus,  enable  me  to  fulfil 
these  solemn  vows ;  and  all  the  glory  shall  be 
given  to  His  great  and  holy  name,  Father,  Son, 
and  Spirit. 

CRANSTON,  JUNE,  1830. 

DEAR  Miss  G.  —  I  am  much  obliged  to  you 
for  sending  me  your  book,  tracts,  &c.  by  the 
stage.  I  returned  the  book  immediately,  be- 
cause I  had  obtained  it  for  myself. 

In  consequence  of  the  rain  this  morning,  I 
have  had  no  Sabbath  school  to-day  ;  therefore 
have  had  time  to  read  the  tracts  with  some 
attention.  You  ask  my  opinion ;  I  suppose 
from  the  well  known  fact,  that  I  am  always 
ready  to  give  it.  This  is  no  argument  in  favor 
of  its  correctness  ;  yet,  as  far  as  I  have  formed 
an  opinion,  I  have  no  objection  to  your  know- 
ing what  it  is.  With  the  name  of  the  society 
by  which  they  are  published,  I  am  pleased. 
You  well  know  that  though  I  do  use  tracts  and 
books  which  I  think  do  not  contain  any  thing 
positively  bad,  yet  you  as  well  know  I  think 
most  of  the  popular  books  and  publications  of 
the  present  day  radically  defective.  The  best  of 


16  MEMOIR    OF 

the  books  to  which  I  refer,  say  nothing  that  is 
bad,  but  leave  out  what  is  essentially  good, 
under  the  pretext  that  this  and  that  (though 
primary  articles  in  the  preaching  and  writings 
of  the  inspired  apostles,  and  indeed  I  may  say 
of  the  Bible  throughout),  are  nothing  but  doc- 
trines, are  not  acceptable,  are  not  essential,  and 
therefore  ought  to  be  omitted.  Thus  a  kind  of 
affection,  or  good-will  for  religion,  is  inspired  in 
hearts  that  would  burn  with  indignation  if  the 
character  and  government  of  God  should  be 
exhibited  as  it  is  revealed  in  the  Bible.  We 
know  that  it  is  only  for  an  impenitent  sinner  to 
feel  that  he  is  in  the  hands  of  a  holy  Sovereign, 
and  he  is  the  subject  of  the  keenest  sufferings ; 
therefore  it  is  judged  prudent  to  conceal  the 
disagreeable  truth.  But  my  dear  Miss  G.,  these 
things  ought  not  so  to  be.  I  do  not  see  what 
can  screen  this  gross  deceit  from  the  angry  rod 
of  the  God  of  truth.  If  there  are  men  of  sound 
discretion,  talents,  and  piety,  whose  eyes  are 
open  to  the  evils  which  must  result  from  such  a 
course  of  deception,  I  should  rejoice  exceedingly 
to  have  them  take  the  lead  of  some  society, 
whose  object  should  be  to  disseminate  truth, 
stript  of  that  mantle  of  darkness  in  which  it  has 
taken  so  much  time  and  labor  and  study  to 
enshroud  it. 


HARRIET    WARE.  17 

But,  say  you,  this  is  not  to  the  point.  "  Are 
these  tracts  of  the  character  you  like  ? "  I 
answer,  the  first  and  third  numbers  I  like  well. 
When  I  see  you  I  will  say  a  little  about  one 
clause  in  the  first  number,  "  That  no  one  has 
any  more  true  religion,  than  he  has  doctrinal 
knowledge"  Of  number  four,  perhaps  I  ought 
to  say  nothing,  only  that  .the  subject  demands 
something  unexceptionably  good.  I  should  like 
just  to  ask,  what  the  author  means  by  inserting 
the  prayer  of  David  in  the  connection  in  which  it 
stands.  Does  he  mean  to  insinuate  that  it  was 
the  aspiration  of  an  impenitent  heart  ?  or  did  he 
mean  that  it  should  be  understood  according  to 
the  taste  of  the  reader?  Again,  I  do  firmly 
believe  that  any  truth  of  the  Bible  can  be 
clearly  exhibited,  in  all  its  connections  and  bear- 
ings, much  better  without  than  with  the  help  of 
the  terms  Calvinist,  Hopkinsian,  Arminian,  &c. 
I  do  believe  that  those  who  adhere  closely  to 
the  direction  in  their  preaching,  or  writing,  "  to 
know  nothing  but  Christ  and  him  crucified,"  in 
all  its  parts,  will  clearly  exhibit  the  whole  system 
of  truth,  (I  do  not  mean  in  one  tract  or  sermon,) 
and  never  find  occasion  to  use  these  or  similar 
terms.  I  have  written  only  a  few  of  my 
thoughts.  Perhaps  these  had  better  been  kept 

2 


18  MEMOIR    OF 

to  myself;  perhaps  better  not  have  been  in- 
dulged even  there.  Jf  I  am  harboring  within 
my  bosom  a  cavilling  spirit,  may  I  be  convinced 
of  my  wickedness  and  find  forgiveness.  If  any 
thing  of  the  love  of  truth  be  there,  may  it  be 
diffused,  until  professed  Christians  shall  make 
as  great  exertions  to  have  the  truth  understood, 
as  is  now  made  to  make  it  seem  like  something 
else. 


CRANSTON,  AUGUST  5,  1830. 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND  ELIZABETH — It  is  Sabbath 
afternoon.  Probably  you  are  this  moment  list- 
teriing  with  pleasing  interest  to  hear  a  good 
gospel  sermon.  If  so,  do  not  forget  that  you 
are  one  of  the  comparatively  few  thus  favored  ; 
one  of  the  favored  few  who  can  unite  with  kin- 
dred spirits  in  the  solemn  service  of  worshipping 
the  great  God.  My  dear  friend,  we  are  both 
involved  in  the  awful  responsibility  of  having 
been  exalted  to  the  very  heavens  in  point  of 
privileges.  But  what  am  I  writing !  I  meant 
to  say,  that  I  have  recently  been  asking  myself, 
what  I  have  ever  been  constrained  by  the  love 
of  Christ  to  do  for  His  cause  in  the  world  ?  I 
do  believe  that  the  love  of  Christ  is  the  mighty 


HARRIET    WARE.  19 

engine  by  which  the  church  is  to  be  impelled 
in  all  her  forward  marches ;  yet  I  must  ac- 
knowledge that  I  find  in  my  heart  altars  erected 
on  which  sacrifice  is  daily  offered  to  other 
deities.  So  true  is  this,  that  the  natural  infer- 
ence seems  to  be  that,  to  say  the  least,  it  is 
extremely  doubtful  whether  supreme  love  to 
Christ  ever  reigned  there.  *  *  *  * 

*  *  Possibly  I  might  not  have  made 
this  confession,  but  that  you  might  more  deeply 
feel  that  the  strength  of  the  church  can  in  no 
wise  be  estimated  by  its  numbers  ;  and  that 
the  few,  who  are  the  disciples  of  Christ  indeed, 
have  a  mighty  work  to  do.  I  well  know  that 
the  church  is  only  sure  of  final  victory,  because 
an  Almighty  Sovereign  is  her  King  j  yet  He 
does  condescend  to  accept  the  services  of  His 
children.  I  seem  to  see  more  and  more  clearly, 
(though  I  feel  nothing,)  that  the  spirit  of  Christ, 
the  spirit  of  prayer,  in  a  word,  the  only  spirit 
that  can  ever  breathe  in  heaven,  is  a  spirit  of 
holy  action,  of  holy  enterprise.  As  clearly,  too, 
can  I  see  that,  of  all  the  honors  and  privileges 
which  were  ever  conferred  -on  guilty  man,  that 
of  being  a  servant  of  Christ,  a  co-worker  with 
Him  in  building  up  and  extending  His  king- 
dom, is  infinitely  the  most  desirable.  I  can  see, 


20  MEMOIR   OF 

too,  how  powerful  is  the  motive  for  vigorous 
exertion  to  all  who  will  take  hold  of  the  pro- 
mises, "that  God  worketh  in  you,"&c.  Though 
/  see  what  I  cannot  feel,  I  do  ardently  desire 
every  one,  in  whose  bosom  ever  glowed  the 
flame  of  divine  love,  to  feel  and  act  for  Christ ; 
ever  remembering  that  the  joy  that  was  set 
before  Christ,  and  for  which  He  endured  so 
much,  was  that  He  might  "  purify  unto  himself 
a  people  who  should  be  zealous  of  good  works." 
Though  I  may  never  be  allowed  to  unite  in  the 
song  of  the  redeemed,  may  you  who  are  Chris- 
tians indeed,  be  permitted  to  raise  higher  your 
notes  of  praise,  by  knowing  that  you  have  been 
instrumental  in  pointing  many  souls  to  the 
Saviour  of  the  world.  I  hardly  dare  to  read 
what  I  have  written ;  I  know  it  will  not  sound 
just  as  I  meant  to  have  it.  But  I  have  a  strong 
conviction  on  my  mind  that  the  most  humble 
and  active  .Christians  will  wonder  when  they 
arrive  in  heaven,  that  they  have  actually  done 
so  little  for  Him,  who  has  given  His  dear  Son 
for  them  ;  for  Him  who  has  laid  down  His  life 
for  them.  Was  it  possible  for  a  happy  spirit  to 
feel  a  sensation  of  regret,  would  they  not  feel 
it  in  view  of  this  subject  ? 


HARRIET    WARE.  21 

CRANSTON,  SEPT.  11,  1830. 

To  Miss  M.  DANIELS.  —  What  do  you  hear 
or  know  that  indicates  that  Christians  are  be- 
coming more  awake  tb  the  solemn  responsibility 
that  rests  upon  them  ?  It  is  an  affecting  truth 
that  the  world  lieth  in  wickedness,  and  that  it 
is  to  be  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth 
as  it  is  in  Jesus,  by  a  little  company  of  his 
friends  ;  that  is,  that  they  are  to  be  employed 
as  instruments  in  the  glorious  enterprise.  Do 
you  think  that  Christians  generally  are  aware  of 
the  field  that  is  opened  before  them,  when  they 
are  commanded  really  to  act  for  Christ  ?  Is  it 
sufficiently  considered  that  the  spirit  of  prayer 
is  the  very  spirit  of  holy  action  1  The  history 
of  Christ  and  the  apostles  surely  presents  not 
merely  feelings,  but  a  continued  scene  of  un- 
paralleled exertions  and  self-denial.  And  how 
many  facilities  have  Christians  now  for  extend- 
ing the  kingdom  of  the  Redeemer  that  the 
apostles  had  not.  There  are  things  in  connec- 
tion with  this  subject  that  have  rested  with 
fearful  interest  upon  the  mind  of  your  friend  H. 
of  late.  I  can  sometimes  seem  to  realize  that 
not  being  actively  engaged  for  Christ  is  about 
the  same  thing  as  taking  sides  with  the  great 
enemy. 


22  MEMOIR    OF 

CRANSTON,  SEPT.  26,  1830. 

To  Miss  M.  W.  —  I  have  thought  more  than 
usual  of  late,  that,  if  the  standard  of  personal 
piety  could  be  raised,  it  would  do  more  to 
extend  the  interests  of  Zion  than  a  hundred 
new  societies  and  agents  that  make  a  great 
show  in  the  world.  I  know  there  must  be 
societies  and  agents,  and  wish  there  were  many 
more  than  there  are ;  but,  if  the  love  of  Christ 
would  move  every  wheel  in  the  vast  machinery 
of  Christian  enterprise,  the  nations  of  the  earth 
could  soon  become  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 
Oh,  how  many  spirits,  in  opposition  to  this  only 
one  on  which  God  can  look  with  approbation, 
have  gone  abroad,  wearing  the  garb  of  Christian 
benevolence. 

But,' sister  Mary,  if  I  have  cause  for  humble 
gratitude,  you  have  cause  to  rejoice  exceedingly. 
If  you  are  in  the  midst  of  a  revival  of  religion, 
you  do  see  the  glory  of  God  passing  before  you, 
in  the  salvation  of  souls,  more  precious  than  a 
million  of  globes  of  gold.  But  while  you  re- 
joice, as  you  certainly  must  if  you  have  one 
particle  of  love  to  the  Saviour,  can  you  realize 
the  awful  responsibility  that  rests  upon  every 
individual  who  is  allowed  to  witness  such  a 
scene?  If  pure  and  undefiled  religion  is  re- 


HARRIET    WARE.  23 

vived,  the  Spirit  is  poured  out,  and  can  you 
suppose  it  will  be  withdrawn,  until  grieved 
away  by  the  sins  of  Christians?  I  verily  be- 
lieve this  sentiment.  I  know  God  is  a  Sove- 
reign, but  He  always  adapts  the  means  to  the 
end.  The  very  place  where  you  stand  is  holy 
ground,  and  may  grace  be  given  you  so  to  walk, 
that  when  the  great  day  shall  disclose  the 
secrets  of  all  hearts,  it  may  not  be  found  that 
the  Divine  Spirit  has  been  provoked  to  with- 
draw His  heavenly  influences  by  any  of  your 
sins.  I  often  think  of  you,  and  if  you  will 
allow  me,  will  say,  that,  from  the  nature  of 
your  employment,  and  some  circumstances  con- 
nected with  your  situation,  I  fear  lest  you  be 
tempted  to  substitute  Christian  converse  and 
general  good  feeling,  for  deep  humility,  watch- 
fulness and  communion  with  God.  This  you 
will  receive  as  a  friendly  caution,  not  as  a 
charge. 


THE  following  extract  from  one  of  Miss 
Ware's  scholars,  bears  testimony  to  her  fidelity 
as  a  teacher  and  her  great  success  in  imparting 
religious  instruction  to  her  pupils. 


24  MEMOIR    OF 

HOPKINTON,  SEPT.  7,  1849. 

*  *  *  * 

Miss  Ware  came  here  in  August,  1827,  to 
teach  school.  I  remember  perfectly  well  the 
first  morning,  when,  with  several  other  children, 
I  called  at  my  uncle's,  where  Miss  W.  was 
boarding,  and  she  was  introduced  to  us  as  our 
teacher.  What  was  our  surprise  when  some 
were  welcomed  by  a  shake  of  the  hand,  others 
by  a  pat  on  the  head,  and  the  smaller  ones  with 
a  kiss  on  the  cheek  ;  this,  with  her  smiles  and 
gentle  kindness,  soon  won  our  affections  and 
espect,  and  made  a  deep  and  lasting  impression 
on  the  mind,  which  time  will  never  efface. 
We  went  in  company  with  her  to  school,  where 
we  met  the  other  children,  and  they  too  were 
received  in  the  same  kind  and  friendly  manner. 
She  commenced  the  school  with  prayer,  gave 
such  instruction  as  she  thought  proper,  and 
arranged  the  classes.  Each  scholar  was  directed 
what  to  do,  and  how  to  do  it.  She  was  always 
ready  and  willing  to  explain  the  "whys  and 
wherefores,"  as  she  called  them ;  therefore  we 
had  no  trouble,  and  were  happy.  All  this  was 
so  unlike  what  we  had  been  accustomed  to  from 
former  teachers,  that  we  all  felt  we  had  secured 
a  friend  as  well  as  teacher.  Thus  pleasantly 
and  happily  passed  the  few  short  weeks  of  the 


HARRIET    WARE.  25 

summer's  school.  She  also  possessed  a  very 
peculiar  and  interesting  way  of  explaining  all 
that  was  difficult  and  perplexing  to  the  children  ; 
she  would  never  yield  the  point  until  all  was 
fully  understood.  I  recollect  one  instance  in 
particular.  A  little  girl  was  very  much  troubled 
about  understanding  her  grammar ;  she  had 
studied  it  a  long  time,  learned  almost  every  part 
of  it,  could  repeat  it  correctly  when  asked,  and 
yet  was  entirely  ignorant  of  its  principles. 
Miss  W.  soon  discovered  her  embarrassment, 
and  tried  to  explain  the  difficulties,  but  found  it 
too  much  of  a  task  to  accomplish  during  school 
hours ;  she  kindly  said,  I  have  not  time  to 
attend  to  it  now  as  I  wish,  but  think  I  can 
make  you  love  grammar  yet.  Just  take  your 
book  in  your  hand,  and  we  will  walk  home 
together ;  and  I  think  by  the  time  we  separate 
you  will  think  grammar  a  pretty  study.  The 
task  was  accomplished,  and  ever  after  it  was 
among  her  pleasant  lessons.  All  the  duties  of 
the  school  were  conducted  in  the  same  perse- 
vering, gentle  manner.  Her  employers  soon 
became  as  much  attached  to  her  as  her  pupils 
were,  and  they  were  anxious  she  should  take 
the  winter  school.  She  reluctantly  accepted. 
Her  fear  of  incompetency  was  such,  that  she 


40  MEMOIR    OF 

went  to  Providence,  to  prepare  herself  for  the 
term.  She  then  returned,  and  resumed  her 
labors  under  very  favorable  circumstances.  She 
was  perfectly  qualified  for  every  department, 
and  gave  general  satisfaction.  It  was  the  most 
interesting  school  I  ever  attended.  It  was  large ; 
the  house  small  and  crowded,  yet  the  most  per- 
fect order  and  system  prevailed.  Her  time  and 
talents  were  devoted  to  the  scholars ;  she  studied 
constantly  the  best  method  of  teaching  them 
how  to  spend  their  time  profitably  and  plea- 
santly, and  succeeded.  Her  religious  influence 
and  example  produced  a  beneficial  and  lasting 
effect.  Her  daily  life  and  conversation  proved 
that  she  had  been  with  Jesus.  Many  of  those 
who  attended  her  school  received  their  first 
religious  impressions  from  her,  and  almost  all 
of  them  have  become  worthy  members  of  the 
church  of  Christ. 


HARRIET    WARE.  27 


CHAPTER  II. 

RESIDENCE     AT     INDIA    POINT. 

IN  the  spring  of  1832,  Miss  Ware  commenced 
her  labors  at  India  Point.  A  lady  who  had 
become  acquainted  with  her  energy  of  charac- 
ter, her  success  as  a  teacher,  and  her  single- 
hearted  devotedness  as  a  Christian,  suggested  to 
her  this  locality  as  a  field  of  labor  for  which 
she  seemed  peculiarly  adapted.  The  reasons 
which  led  her  to  adopt  this  suggestion,  and 
become  a  missionary  in  this  destitute  neighbor- 
hood, are  sufficiently  made  known  in  the  course 
of  the  following  correspondence.  Her  success 
was  such  as  to  lead  her  to  another  undertaking, 
in  which  she  also  became  eminently  useful.  A 
few  preliminary  remarks  may  perhaps  enable 
the  reader  the  better  to  comprehend  the  nature 
of  her  situation. 

What  is  termed  India  Point  is  a  small  suburb 
of  Providence,  at  a  considerable  distance  from 


28  MEMOIR    OF 

the  centre  of  the  city,  on  the  bank  of  the 
Seekonk  or  Pawtucket  River,  at  the  spot  where 
a  bridge  connects  the  State  of  Rhode  Island 
with  the  State  of  Massachusetts.  It  consists  of 
a  cluster  of  small  houses,  inhabited  principally 
by  oystermen  and  fishermen,  presenting  nothing 
in  its  general  appearance  that  would  distinguish 
it  from  similar  situations  which  may  be  found 
in  the  vicinity  of  most  large  towns.  The  occu- 
pation of  the  inhabitants  had  brought  them  but 
little  into  contact  with  the  rest  of  the  commu- 
nity. They  enjoyed  the  same  opportunities  for 
intellectual  and  moral  cultivation  as  their  fellow- 
citizens,  and  it  was,  I  presume,  taken  for  granted 
that  they  improved  them  in  a  similar  manner. 
No  one  was  led  in  this  direction  by  the  calls  of 
business,  and  no  one  had  taken  the  pains  to 
inquire  whether  the  people  of  this  little  hamlet 
were  either  better  or  worse  than  their  neighbors. 
In  this  manner  they  had  been  sadly  overlooked 
by  the  benevolent,  and  had  formed  a  community 
in  some  respects  clannish,  and  were  to  a  con- 
siderable degree  separated  from  the  rest  of  the 
population.  For  myself,  I  must  confess,  that, 
until  I  heard  of  Miss  Ware's  labors,  I  do  not 
think  that  I  had  ever  heard  of  the  existence  of 
such  a  neighborhood  as  India  Point,  and,  of 


HARRIET    WARE.  29 

course,  I  knew  nothing  of  the  destitution  of  its 
inhabitants.  Its  moral  condition  was,  I  believe, 
first  made  known  by  some  zealous  and  self- 
denying  tract  distributors,  or  by  the  pious 
teacher  of  a  common  school  in  its  vicinity.  In 
this  manner  its  wants  were  revealed  to  the 
religious  public,  and  the  feeling  thus  awakened 
led  to  the  introduction  of  Miss  Ware  to  this 
city. 

If  I  do  not  err,  Miss  Ware  was  invited  to 
commence  her  labors  at  India  Point  by  a  society 
of  benevolent  ladies,  who  had,  for  many  years, 
been  actively  engaged  in  providing  pious  school 
teachers  for  the  most  destitute  regions  of  Rhode 
Island.  At  this  time,  there  was  no  provision 
by  the  State  for  general  education,  and  the  need 
of  such  private  effort  for  the  instruction  of  the 
young  was  sufficiently  apparent.  It  was  through 
the  labors  of  this  society  that  the  wants  of  the 
State  were  more  fully  made  known  to  the  pub- 
lic ;  and  thus  the  present  advanced  position  of 
this  State,  in  the  means  for  universal  education, 
may  date  its  origin  from  the  unostentatious 
labors  of  a  few  pious  females.  It  was,  I  believe, 
their  practice  to  pay  the  teacher  a  part  of  her 
support,  leaving  her  to  obtain  the  remainder 
from  the  parents  of  her  pupils.  This  rule 


30  MEMOIR    OF 

though  doubtless  the  best  that  could  have  been 
adopted,  in  the  present  case,  subjected  Miss 
Ware  to  inconveniences,  of  which  her  friends  at 
the  time  were  not  aware. 

The  situation  at  India  Point  was,  in  a  re- 
markable degree,  adapted  to  call  out  the  native 
energies  of  Miss  Ware's  character.  She  could 
labor  here  alone,  without  the  danger  of  being 
annoyed  by  interference  from  any  quarter  what- 
ever. She  was  in  the  midst  of  a  neighborhood 
which  seemed  to  have  been  given  up  as  hope- 
less. This  awakened  all  her  enterprise.  She 
was  told  that  the  attempt  which  she  was  about 
to  make  was  absurd ;  and  the  "  ruling  elders," 
to  use  her  own  expression,  in  a  most  paternal 
way,  told  her  "  she  must  not  think  of  it."  This 
at  once  nerved  her  to  the  final  resolution  to 
accomplish  the  work,  or  perish.  But,  above  all, 
she  felt  as  a  practical  truth,  that  she  was  a 
redeemed  sinner,  constrained  by  the  love  of 
Christ  not  to  live  for  herself,  but  for  Him  who 
had  died  for  her  and  risen  again.  This  senti- 
ment of  gratitude  absorbed  and  transcended 
every  other.  To  be  conscious  that  she  was  in 
a  common  and  formal  manner  giving  up  herself 
to  God,  could  by  no  means  satisfy  her  ardent 
desires.  She  desired  such  a  form  of  labor  as 


HARRIET    WARE.  31 

would  have  nothing  but  the  love  of  Christ  and 
the  souls  of  men  to  recommend  it ;  so  that, 
delivered  from  the  temptations  of  ease,  and  the 
love  of  human  applause,  and  almost  bereft  of 
human  sympathy,  she  might  possess  the  daily 
consciousness  that  she  was  obeying  nothing  but 
the  will  of  God,  and  laying  up  nothing  but  a 
treasure  in  heaven.  Such  a  situation  she  found 
at  India  Point,  and  the  peace  of  God,  which 
passeth  all  understanding,  made  it  a  Bethel  to 
her  soul. 

In  many  other  minor  respects  she  was  in  a 
special  manner  fitted  for  this  task.  Her  health 
was  good,  and  her  capacity  of  enduring  fatigue 
remarkable.  Her  personal  courage  was  such  as 
is  rarely  surpassed.  Her  good  humor  was  un- 
failing, and  her  native  love  of  the  ludicrous 
extracted  matter  for  mirth,  from  occurrences, 
which,  to  less  elastic  spirits,  would  have  proved 
purely  annoying. 

It  was  at  this  period  of  her  life  that  my  own 
acquaintance  with  Miss  Ware  commenced.  Af- 
ter she  had  been  for  a  few  months  engaged  in 
her  labors,  I  heard  that  a  young  woman  of  sin- 
gularly self-denying  energy,  was  devoting  herself 
to  the  welfare  of  this  suburb  of  the  city.  In 
company  with  a  friend,  I  called  upon  her,  and 


32  MEMOIR    OF 

invited  her  to  visit  me  at  her  leisure,  and  inform 
me,  if  I  could,  in  any  manner,  aid  her.  She 
soon  afterwards  accepted  my  invitation,  and 
from  that  time,  until  her  death,  I  was  in  the 
habit  of  seeing  her  frequently. 

I  no  sooner  became  acquainted  with  her  than 
I  formed  the  opinion  of  her  character,  which  her 
whole  subsequent  history  justified.  There  was 
in  her  conversation  a  tone  of  originality  that 
indicated  a  mind  master  of  its  own  resources, 
and  accustomed  to  use  them  on  any  emergency. 
You  saw  at  once  that  she  was  capable  of  look- 
ing at  things  in  their  true  light,  unembarrassed 
by  the  glare  of  conventional  associations.  Her 
benevolence  seemed  self-sacrificing  to  the  ut- 
most limit  of  endurance,  and  yet  it  was  emi- 
nently sagacious  and  practical.  She  never 
spoke  of  her  labors  or  of  herself,  unless  the 
object  in  which  she  was  engaged  rendered  it 
necessary,  and  even  then  with  manifest  reluc- 
tance. She  never  made  any  demands  upon  the 
sympathy  of  her  friends,  but  seemed  to  prefer  to 
bear  her  own  burden  so  long  as  it  was  possible, 
how  heavy  soever  it  might  be.  To  put  herself 
entirely  out  of  the  question,  and  think  only  of 
the  cause  in  which  she  was  engaged,  did  not 
seem  to  require  an  effort ;  it  had  become  the 


HARRIET    WARE.  33 

habitual  condition  of  her  mind.  In  a  word,  she 
was  one  of  those  rare  persons  to  whom  you  feel 
willing  to  commit  any  benevolent  enterprise 
which  she  might  originate,  in  the  full  confi- 
dence that  she  would  conduct  it  with  untiring 
energy,  perfect  disinterestedness,  and  cautious, 
yet  courageous  wisdom. 

During  her  residence  at  India  Point,  Miss 
Ware  was  in  the  habit  of  frequently  visiting  at 
my  house,  and  asking  my  advice  and  assistance 
whenever  she  thought  that  any  benefit  could 
be  derived  from  them.  Most  of  the  incidents 
which  transpired  at  this  period,  have,  however, 
faded  from  my  recollection,  and  those  which 
she  has  recorded  in  her  letters,  I  had  forgotten 
until  I  was  reminded  of  them  by  reading  her 
correspondence.  I  can,  at  this  distance  of  time, 
recall  but  little  of  her  residence  there,  except 
the  remembrance  of  her  toils,  her  self-denials, 
and  her  success. 

After  the  first  impression  of  her  labors,  when 
the  families  around  her  had  passed  away,  she 
frequently  stated  to  me  the  embarrassments  with 
which  she  was  contending.  Notwithstanding 
the  number  of  conversions  that  had  occurred, 
the  neighborhood  was  still  vicious.  Many  of 
her  most  promising  pupils  were  the  children  of 
3 


34  MEMOIR   OF 

intemperate  and  profane  parents.  The  lessons 
of  the  school-room,  both  on  the  Sabbath  and  the 
week  day,  were  rendered  ineffectual  by  the 
language  and  manners  of  the  fireside  and  the 
play-ground.  She  thus  became  convinced  that, 
in  a  multitude  of  instances,  she  was  laboring 
with  no  permanent  result.  Evil  sprung  up  and 
bore  fruit  faster  than  she  could  eradicate  it. 
The  children,  for  whose  welfare  she  had  labored 
and  prayed  most  earnestly,  and  with  the  bright- 
est prospect  of  success,  were  led  astray  by  the 
force  of  incessant  bad  example  ;  and  thus  all  her 
hopes  were  over  and  over  again  blasted. 

But  Miss  Ware  was  not  a  person  to  despair 
even  in  circumstances  like  these.  One  form  of 
effort  had  failed.  This,  however,  was  not  to 
her  an  indication  that  her  undertaking  must  be 
relinquished,  but  only  that  she  must  endeavor 
to  accomplish  it  in  some  other  manner.  It 
occurred  to  her  that  if  these  children  could  be 
removed  from  their  present  neighborhood,  and 
placed  in  comfortable  situations  in  the  country, 
where  they  might  form  different  associations, 
and  be  educated  under  Christian  influences, 
many  of  them  might  be  saved.  To  this  work 
she  at  once  addressed  herself.  The  confidence 
reposed  in  her  by  the  parents  of  her  pupils  was 


HARRIET    WARE.  35 

so  great,  that  they  were  in  many  cases  willing 
to  allow  her  to  take  the  charge  of  their  children 
on  these  terms.  By  inquiry  among  her  friends, 
in  different  places,  she  found  situations  for  them 
as  she  was  able ;  and  thus  she  placed  many  of 
them  in  happy  Christian  homes. 

In  the  management  of  this  part  of  her  labors, 
she  was  remarkably  careful  and  deliberate.  She 
would  place  a  child  in  no  family,  unless  she  was 
previously  convinced  that  it  would  be  properly 
educated  and  prepared  for  usefulness,  and  at  the 
same  time  treated  with  judicious  kindness.  In 
a  large  number  of  instances  she  found  persons 
who,  having  been  deprived  of  their  children  by 
death,  or  never  having  been  blessed  with  off- 
spring, were  willing  to  adopt  her  proteges  as 
their  own.  In  most  cases  no  one  knew  of 
her  arrangements,  besides  the  parties  immedi- 
ately interested.  Hence  the  children  grew  up 
widely  separated  from  each  other,  and  in  many 
cases  forgetful  of  their  origin,  and  almost  forget- 
ful of  every  other  family  except  that  into  which 
they  have  been  adopted.  Many  of  them  have 
already  married,  and  are  occupying  respectable 
positions  in  society,  in  various  parts  of  New 
England. 

Such  was  the  nature  of  Miss  Ware's  labors  at 


36  MEMOIR    OF 

India  Point.  Her  school  was  becoming  gradu- 
ally a  house  of  reformation  for  juvenile  de- 
linquents, arid  a  refuge  for  the  orphan  and 
friendless  in  that  part  of  the  city.  In  what 
manner  it  expanded  into  the  Children's  Friend 
Society,  will  be  seen  in  the  subsequent  chap- 
ter. 


PROVIDENCE,  JUNE  15,  1832. 

THE  same  eve  that  I  arrived  here,  I  called 
on  Miss  S.,  to  see  what  had  been  done  in  rela- 
tion to  the  India  Point  School.  I  soon  ascer- 
tained that  all  had  been  done  that  could  be 
without  my  own  personal  effort ;  and  that  was 
just  nothing,  except  that  influential  individuals 
were  in  favor  of  the  object.  Accordingly,  Miss 
S.  and  myself  spent  the  day  at  the  Point  in 
making  inquiries.  All  seemed  disposed  to  speak 
in  favor  of  the  school ;  but  most  thought  their 
neighbors  so  bad,  that  they  feared  nothing  could 
be  done.  I  was  entirely  faithless  myself,  until 
I  mentioned  the  subject  to  some  whose  influence 
and  assistance  were  indispensably  necessary,  and 
was  told  by  such,  that  the  object  must  be  aban- 
doned, that  the  people  were  completely  savage ; 
that  it  was  an  improper  place  for  a  female ;  and 


HARRIET    WARE.  37 

that  a  child,  eight  years  old,  would  turn  me  out 
of  school.  I  felt,  as  you  will  naturally  infer, 
you  know  me  so  well,  greatly  encouraged,  and 
was  determined,  at  all  events,  to  persevere. 
After  a  thousand  little  perplexities,  some  of 
which  it  would  be  quite  amusing  to  relate  if  I 
had  time,  I  succeeded  in  entering  my  school 
with  seventeen  scholars ;  about  as  many  as  I 
expected  could  be  obtained.  The  first  week  I 
was  obliged  to  board  two  miles  and  a  half  from 
my  school,  not  being  able  to  obtain  board  in  the 
vicinity  of  it.  I  soon,  however,  found  a  board- 
ing place  nearer  to  it.  My  school  was  composed 
of  a  strange  compound.  Some  had  been  to 
school,  some  had  not ;  some  could  read,  some 
could  not ;  some  seemed  disposed  to  treat  me 
civilly,  some  swore  they  would  knock  my  brains 
out,  and  such  like  things.  But,  to  do  justice  to 
them,  every  parent,  as  far  as  I  have  learned,  was 
willing  that  their  children  should  be  governed. 
My  school  has  gradually  increased  in  number 
and  interest,  and  I  have  now  fifty  scholars.  It 
is  considered  a  very  encouraging  circumstance, 
that  the  children  continue  to  be  pleased  with 
the  school,  as  most  of  them  had  been  under 
no  kind  of  restriction  or  discipline  whatever. 
Though  there  seems  almost  every  thing  to  dis- 


38  MEMOIR   OF 

courage,  yet  there  are  some  things  to  encourage 
persevering  effort.  The  parents,  though  seem- 
ingly ignorant  and  forgetful  of  God,  appear  to 
regard  the  school  as  an  interposition  of  Provi- 
dence in  behalf  of  their  children.  The  children, 
in  some  instances,  are  kept  from  Sabbath  school 
and  meeting  to  work,  and  are  allowed  to  play ; 
but,  in  most  cases,  they  can  be  collected  to- 
gether, by  going  to  every  house  after  them  to 
lead  them  to  Sabbath  school,  and  they  gene- 
rally attend  meeting  and  appear  pleased.  Not 
a  single  scholar  in  my  school  had  ever  been  put 
to  study,  but  I  find  them  capable  of  improve- 
ment. 

Instead  of  an  oath  at  the  end  of  every  sen- 
tence, the  children  seem  now  rather  to  exult 
that  they  do  not  swear  or  quarrel.  Many  other 
things  rejoice  my  whole  soul ;  but  as  I  cannot 
make  you  understand  how  much  they  are  in- 
debted to  influence  from  abroad,  I  cannot  tell 
you  more ;  for  it  now  looks  like  a  kind  of  an 
exhibition  of  /,  whereas  I  have  done  nothing, 
and  less  than  that.  But  I  can  assure  you  there 
is  much  for  somebody  to  do.  Not  a  few  married 
people  have  I  found,  who  cannot  read,  and  do 
not  even  know  their  letters.  A  few  such  have 
been  induced  to  come  to  my  school-room,  be- 


HARRIET    WARE.  39 

tween  schools,  and  have  learned  to  read  the 
Bible.  More,  I  hope,  will  be  persuaded  to  do 
the  same.  The  most  destructive  foe  is  intem- 
perance. I  think  the  Point  might  be  a  good 
place  for  a  Temperance  Society,  for  most  surely 
the  children  and  wives,  who  do  not  get  drunk, 
have  seen  and  suffered  enough  to  make  them 
willing  to  promote  the  virtue  of  temperance. 
You  will  not  despise  me,  I  hope,  if  I  just  say 
that,  in  view  of  all  I  have  seen  here,  I  could  not 
feel  willing  to  die,  without  knowing  that  my 
worthless  name  was  somewhere  to  be  found  on 
a  Temperance  pledge. 


PROVIDENCE,  AUGUST  3,  1832. 
MY  DEAR  BROTHER  AND  SISTER  —  It  is  so 
long  since  I  have  written  to  you,  that  I  have 
quite  forgotten  when  it  was,  and  where  it  was. 
For  some  months  past,  my  cares  have  rendered 
it  impossible  for  me  to  write  to  any  of  my 
friends.  But  suppose  I  give  you  a  little  ac- 
count of  myself.  During  the  last  winter,  I 
received  a  letter  from  a  friend  in  this  place, 
stating  the  degraded  state  of  a  set  of  human 
beings  at  India  Point,  in  this  city,  with  a  wish 


40  MEMOIR    OF 

that  I  would  come  and  establish  a  school  among 
them.  Many  things  conspired  together  to  make 
me  wish  to  come.  It  looked  to  me  like  a  field 
for  usefulness.  I  left  Hopkinton  again  for 
Massachusetts,  designing  to  call  here  and  see 
what  had  been  done  about  the  school.  I  found 
that  nothing  could  be  done  without  my  own 
immediate  effort,  and  almost  every  thing  seemed 
to  me  to  forbid  that  effort  being  made.  I  called 
on  individuals  whose  influence  and  assistance 
must  be  obtained,  if  the  school  should  be 
established.  Scarcely  one  was  in  favor  of  it ; 
all  admitted  it  was  needed,  but  said  it  could  not 
be  effected;  and  that  a  school  would  not  be 
sustained  a  fortnight.  I  know  not  how  to 
account  for  it,  except  from  the  principle  of 
obstinacy;  but  I  was  by  this  greatly  encour- 
aged to  make  the  effort,  and  finally  succeeded 
in  establishing  a  school  last  April.  With  hum- 
ble gratitude,  I  wish  to  say,  that  those  who  had 
most  tried  to  discourage  the  attempt,  were 
ready  to  co-operate.  The  object  has  finally  se- 
cured the  approbation  of  all  the  good  in  the 
community,  and  I  ought  to  say  the  patronage  ; 
for  various  societies  and  individuals  have  said 
to  me,  If  you  need  assistance,  call  upon  us,  and 
we  will  aid  you.  The  school  and  neighbor- 


HARRIET    WARE.  41 

hood  were  better  than  I  expected,  but  queer 
enough,  I  assure  you.  My  number  of  scholars 
has  increased  to  as  great  a  number  as  I  can  pos- 
sibly take  care  of.  Most  of  them  have  im- 
proved rapidly  in  their  learning,  but  much  more 
in  their  habits.  What,  in  a  special  manner, 
demands  my  gratitude,  is  that  the  Lord,  who  is 
of  great  mercy,  has  appeared  in  the  midst  of  us 
by  His  Spirit.  Some  of  my  scholars,  for  some 
weeks  past,  have  appeared  deeply  serious,  as 
well  as  some  of  their  parents.  Two  are  now 
indulging  hope  of  pardon,  through  the  atoning 
blood  of  a  Saviour.  Some  of  the  parents  like- 
wise indulge  a  hope.  Much  more  I  could  say 
to  interest  you  about  them,  but  I  fear  you  will 
think  /  am  doing  great  things.  But,  my  dear 
friends,  this  is  not  true.  Surely  there  is  no 
God  like  our  God,  wonderful  in  counsel  and  in 
working.  It  is  my  humble  privilege,  but  one 
for  which  I  wish  forever  to  adore  his  infinite 
condescension,  to  stand  a  spectator  and  behold 
his  glory  with  admiring  gratitude.  Much  Chris- 
tian effort  has  been  made  in  behalf  of  this  place  ; 
it  is  the  efforts  of  other  servants  which  the  Lord 
has  particularly  blessed.  I  rejoice  that  he  sends 
by  whom  he  will  send,  if  not  by  me.  He 
knows  the  pride  of  my  heart,  and  how  readily 


4/6  MEMOIR    OP 

I  should  exalt  myself,  if  I  could  feel  that  I  am 
doing  something. 

You,  probably,  may  know  something  of  the 
agitation  that  has  prevailed  here  in  relation  to 
the  cholera.  We  are  expecting  it  every  hour, 
and  have  been  so  for  weeks  or  months.  The 
second  Instant,  four  in  one  house,  it  is  feared, 
died  of  that  disease.  I  have  had  thoughts  of  sus- 
pending my  school,  but  I  have  submitted  to  the 
advice  of  those  who  are  best  acquainted  with 
the  circumstances,  and  all  agree  that  it  is  im- 
portant to  continue  the  school  until  it  may  be 
broken  up  by  the  pestilence.  I  have  never 
thought  of  fleeing  to  save  my  life,  for  no  angel 
has  been  commissioned  to  inform  me  to  what 
mountain  I  might  fly  and  be  secure.  I  have 
thought  it  might  be  desirable  to  die  with  my 
friends,  but  I  am  not  anxious,  and  desire  you 
may  not  be  on  my  account.  I  believe  I  am  in 
the  way  of  duty,  and  do  not  know  that  I  want 
any  other  security  than  firm  confidence  in  God. 
Perhaps  I  have  mistaken  the  dictates  of  my 
judgment  for  the  feelings  of  my  heart ;  but,  if 
I  am  not  deceived,  my  heart  feels  cheerful  in 
the  assurance  that  every  circumstance  of  my 
death  will  be  ordered  by  my  heavenly  Father. 
The  Lord  has  been  very  merciful  to  me,  though 


HARRIET    WARE.  43 

I  have  been  very  rebellious  and  unfaithful.  I 
see,  more  and  more,  that  there  is  but  one  object 
worthy  the  entire  attention  of  intelligent  beings, 
and  that  is  the  promotion  of  the  cause  of  Christ 
in  the  world.  For  this,  and  this  alone,  I  pray 
that  I  may  live,  and  I  have  but  this  one  petition 
for  you. 


PROVIDENCE,  AUGUST  20,  1832. 
I  HAVE  found  myself  almost  as  completely 
buried  at  India  Point,  as  if  there  were  no  where 
else,  nor  any  body  else  in  the  world.  I  shall 
never  attempt  to  describe  to  you,  or  any  one 
else,  scenes  that  have  passed  since  I  have  been 
here,  but  will  say,  generally,  that  to  me  many 
things  have  appeared  interesting.  The  children 
attend  meeting  and  Sabbath  school  regularly, 
and  behave  with  much  propriety.  Four  fami- 
lies hired  pews  in  the  church  last  week.  One, 
who  hired  a  pew,  had  never  been  within  the 
doors  till  the  Sabbath  before  last.  I  will  just 
say  one  thing  in  relation  to  myself,  since  I  have 
been  here.  There  have  been  circumstances 
which  have  led  many  to  say,  "  Why,  how 
much  good  she  has  done  them ; "  and  even 
good  people  have  returned  thanks  to  the  Lord, 


44  MEMOIR    OF 

that  he  had  made  me  instrumental  of  so  much 
good  to  this  people  ;  and,  what  is  worse,  all  this 
in  my  hearing.  Now,  my  dear  M.,  I  never 
believed  a  moment,  that  the  Lord  was  pleased 
with  such  offerings ;  and  I  firmly  believe  he 
will  manifest  his  entire  disapprobation  of  every 
such  thought  and  expression.  Indeed,  I  think 
he  has  begun  to  manifest  it.  Last  week,  from 
beginning  to  end,  the  voice  of  his  Providence 
seemed  to  be,  "  I  will  humble  every  thing  that 
exalteth  itself;  I  will  bring  down  every  high 
look  ; "  and,  my  dear  M.,  if  my  heart  does  not 
deceive  me,  I  pray  that  he  Avould  do  it.  I  have 
mentioned  this,  in  part,  for  your  profit.  Do  not 
suffer  any  one  in  your  presence  to  say  flattering 
things  of  the  good  you  are  doing  ;  and,  if  they 
offer  such  in  sacrifice  to  the  Lord,  reprove  them. 
If  I  have  any  one  petition  to  offer  in  your 
behalf,  it  is  that  you  may  be  kept  humble,  and 
this  petition  I  desire  you  will  offer  for  me. 


PROVIDENCE,  AUGUST  24,  1832. 
I  WILL  just  mention,  generally,  that  the  indica- 
tions of  Providence  are  still  in  favor  of  a  school 
here.     The  Lord  is  certainly  very  gracious  to 


HARRIET    WARE.  45 

me,  for  he  does  allow  me  to  occupy  a  place 
where  I  can  open  my  eyes,  and  see  what  He  is 
doing  for  the  glory  of  his  great  name.  Unwor- 
thy as  I  am,  it  has  been  my  privilege  to  attend 
some  of  my  dear  children  to  the  inquiry  meet- 
ing, and  to  hear  them  express  their  hope  of 
being  pardoned  sinners.  You  know  how  very 
different  it  is  to  indulge  a  hope,  from  really 
bringing  forth  the  fruits  of  holiness  in  the  life. 
Nothing  yet  appears  to  forbid  the  belief  that 
they  are  what  they  think  themselves  to  be. 
My  dear  H.,  do  you  see  with  what  a  pressure 
of  circumstances  I  am  surrounded?  The  pe- 
culiarly interesting  state  of  the  school  and 
neighborhood,  for  which  I  have  become  so 
deeply  interested,  added  to  the  circumstance  of 
living  in  the  daily  expectation  of  pestilence, 
which,  with  but  an  hour's  warning,  might  for- 
ever separate  me  from  those,  whose  history  for 
the  judgment  is  going  on  under  my  instructions 
and  daily  influence.  I  can  only  say,  O  Lord, 
what  am  I  that  thou  shouldst  take  me  into 
thine  account  ?  In  view  of  all  that  I  have  ex- 
perienced of  the  great  goodness  of  God,  I  have 
felt  an  unusual  desire  to  consecrate  myself  to 
the  service  of  Christ. 


4b  MEMOIR   OP 

PROVIDENCE,  SEPT.  16,  1832. 

MY  DEAR  FATHER  —  As  Rev.  Mr.  H.  of  this 
city,  is  to  pass  your  house  to-morrow  in  the 
stage,  it  occurs  to  me  that  it  may  be  a  trifling 
gratification  to  you  to  hear  from  your  long 
absent  daughter.  *  *  *  It  seems  but  a 
little  while  since  all  your  children  eat  at  the 
same  table  ;  but,  my  dear  father,  you  will  not 
probably  ever  again  be  thus  surrounded  by  your 
family,  on  earth.  But,  if  all  are  the  true  friends 
and  followers  of  the  Saviour,  we  might  hope  to 
meet  in  a  father's  house,  to  go  no  more  out. 
This  seems  the  errand  for  which  we  were  sent 
into  the  world ;  to  lay  up  a  little  treasure  in 
heaven  ;  for  our  treasure  on  earth  will  soon  be 
out  of  use  with  us.  Our  coin  will  not  pass  in 
the  country  to  which  we  are  rapidly  hastening. 

I  cannot  tell  you  much  of  myself,  except 
that  I  am  in  health  in  the  very  midst  of  disease 
and  death.  I  pursue  my  accustomed  employ- 
ment, in  the  very  spot  where  I  wish  to  be  em- 
ployed, and  with  as  much  success  as  I  have  any 
right  to  expect  will  ever  attend  my  exertions. 
I  have  a  flourishing  school,  of  about  forty 
scholars,  at  India  Point,  on  Seekonk  River.  It 
is  a  spot  that  has  long  been  abandoned,  over- 
looked and  forgotten.  Whole  families  reside  in 


HARRIET    WARE.  47 

this  little  neighborhood,  within  the  sound  of  the 
church  bells  of  this  city,  who  seldom,  if  ever, 
saw  the  inside  of  a  church  ;  within  the  sound 
of  the  school  bells,  where  they  might  go  and 
be  taught  free  of  expense,  they  are  unable  to 
read.  Even  mothers  are  here,  who  knew  not 
the  alphabet ;  the  children  dirty  and  ragged, 
roving  the  streets,  and  taught  nothing  but  to 
profane  the  name  of  the  Being  who  made  them. 
But  it  seems  the  Lord  had  designs  of  mercy 
towards  them,  for  he  has  put  it  into  the  hearts 
of  many  of  his  children  to  pray  and  labor  for 
them,  and  he  has  blessed  effort  in  their  behalf 
beyond  what  we  dared  to  hope.  A  most  strik- 
ing change  is  manifest  in  the  general  appear- 
ance of  the  place.'  The  children,  with  very 
few  exceptions,  are  dressed  in  clean  clothes  on 
the  Sabbath  morn,  regularly  attend  Sabbath 
school  and  meeting,  and  behave  with  as  much 
propriety  as  I  have  been  accustomed  to  see  chil- 
dren. Some  heads  of  families,  who  never  saw 
the  inside  of  a  church  till  this  season,  have 
hired  seats,  and  attend  meeting  regularly  ;  oth- 
ers, who  are  unwilling  to  have  it  known  that 
they  go  to  meeting,  will  contrive  to  go  in  the 
evening,  and  place  themselves  where  they  can 
hear,  and  not  be  seen;  others  appear  to  have 


48  .     MEMOIR    OF 

been  redeemed  from  the  bondage  of  sin,  and 
adopted  into  the  family  of  Christ ;  while  some 
seem  to  have  been  given  up  to  their  own  de- 
ceivings,  and  are  apparently  angry  that  the  Lord 
is  coming  too  near  them.  Among  many  other 
things  which  appear  to  have  been  owned  of 
God,  is  the  influence  of  my  school.  I  mention 
this,  my  dear  father,  with  humble  gratitude,  and 
wish  you  to  be  grateful  too.  It  seems  truly 
wonderful  to  me,  that  one  so  unworthy  should 
be  allowed  the  privilege  of  occupying  a  place 
that  is  of  any  importance  to  my  fellow-beings. 
I  do  not  now,  nor  do  I  ever  wish  to  feel  that  I 
am  doing  much,  but  at  least  I  am  a  happy  spec- 
tator of  what  the  Lord  is  doing  for  the  honor  of 
His  own  dear  name.  I  have  said,  I  am  happy, 
and  so  I  am,  when  I  remember  God  will  be 
glorified  in  all  the  works  of  His  hands ;  but 
when  I  remember,  too,  how  many  years  I  lived 
in  entire  disregard  of  the  laws  and  authority  of 
Him  that  made  me ;  turning  a  deaf  ear  to  the 
melting  invitations  of  a  bleeding  Saviour ;  sport- 
ing with  his  dying  agony,  and  trampling  his 
blood  under  my  feet ;  grieving  the  Holy  Spirit, 
by  which  I  was  sometimes  admonished  of  death, 
judgment,  and  eternity ;  and,  to  crown  all,  how 
very  little  I  have  exemplified  the  excellency  of 


HARRIET   WARE.  49 

religion  by  a  holy  life  and  well  ordered  conver- 
sation, since  I  professed  to  love  the  Saviour,  and 
covenanted  to  give  him  my  entire  services  ;  and 
how  much  there  is  still,  in  my  heart  and  life, 
that  is  not  in  conformity  to  the  spirit  of  the 
Gospel ;  I  am  constrained  to  exclaim,  mentally, 
Wo  is  me !  wretch,  indeed !  who  shall  deliver 
me  from  this  body  of  death !  But,  vile  as  I  am, 
if  my  heart  does  not  deceive  me,  I  think  I  find 
increasing  evidence  of  possessing  some  union  of 
heart  to  Christ.  I  think  I  do  find  increasing 
pleasure  in  being  permitted  to  perform  the  most 
humble  service  for  him.  I  sometimes  think  I 
see  that  superlative  excellence  in  his  character, 
that,  if  my  soul  were  worth  ten  thousand  times 
as  much  as  it  is,  I  could  most  cheerfully  give  it 
to  him,  and  rejoice  that  to  Him,  with  the  Fa- 
ther, belongeth  dominion  and  power,  forever. 
Moreover,  I  do  hope  I  have  a  little  of  that  peace 
which  is  promised  to  those  whose  minds  are 
stayed  on  God. 

I  did  not  think  of  writing  all  that  I  have 
when  I  commenced,  but  I  have  long  felt  a  de- 
sire to  leave  a  little  testimony  with  you  of  my 
views  and  feelings,  thinking  that  possibly,  ah  ! 
more  than  probably,  if  you  should  live  a  few 
months,  that  all  you  would  ever  know  of  me, 
4 


50  MEMOIR    OF 

might  be  that  the  clods  of  India  Point  covered 
my  worthless  clay.  Such  has  been,  and  still  is, 
the  state  of  things,  that  I  realize,  in  some  mea- 
sure, that  I  am  living  by  the  hour.  I  have  not 
unfrequently  left  my  school-room,  under  the 
impression  that,  perhaps,  before  another  rising 
sun,  a  grave  might  be  opened  to  receive  me ; 
and,  when  I  have  entered  my  room  in  the 
morning,  that,  perhaps,  I  had  met  my  smiling 
children  for  the  last  time.  The  dire  judgment 
which  has  swept  sixty  millions  of  human  beings 
from  the  Eastern  continent,  and  seems  destined 
to  track  the  whole  earth,  has  not  prevailed  ex- 
tensively here,  but  cases  of  cholera  are  occur- 
ring almost  every  day. 

I  would  gladly  say  much  about  many  other 
things,  and  speak  particularly  of  every  member 
of  the  family,  but  my  sheet  is  full  ere  I  was 
aware  of  it.  One  word  I  would  say  to  every 
one  of  them  who  has  not  a  well  grounded  hope 
of  eternal  life,  and  that  is  —  there  is  but  one 
Saviour ;  whoever  rejects  him,  there  remaineth 
for  him  no  more  sacrifice  for  sin ;  there  is  but 
one  Holy  Spirit ;  if  that  is  rejected  until  it  de- 
part, the  soul  can  never  be  born  again. 


HARRIET    WARE.  51 

PROVIDENCE,  OCT.  11,  1832. 

I  SINCERELY  hope  that  you  are  where  you 
are  happy,  and  not  entirely  useless.  Our  object 
should  be,  not  so  much  to  live  where  roses  spring 
up  under  our  feet  at  every  step,  and  thornless 
roses,  too,  as  to  be  where  Providence  intends 
we  should  be,  and  try  to  be  useful  there.  I  do 
not  occupy  a  very  elevated  stand,  and  know 
not  that  any  one  who  is  proud  would  covet  my 
employment.  But  I  hope  I  shall  be  thankful 
if  my  pride  does  not  destroy  me,  and  actually 
stand  in  the  way  of  any  good  which  might 
otherwise  come  through  me  to  my  fellow-beings. 

In  the  first  place,  I  have  the  honor  to  teach 
school,  for  a  class  of  people  whom  no  other 
person  ever  had  the  honor  of  teaching  much, 
except  how  to  catch  oysters  and  a  few  such 
things.  But,  before  they  can  be  taught,  they 
must  be  collected,  some  from  off  the  wharves, 
some  out  of  sand  banks,  some  out  of  the  oyster 
shells ;  not  that  I  mean,  however,  that  my  chil- 
dren are  oysters.  This  is  not  done  once  merely, 
but  more  or  less  every  week.  Sabbath  morn- 
ings, if  I  can  get  upon  the  ground  before  my 
children  are  all  gone  a  fishing,  I  can  collect  quite 
a  number  into  the  Sabbath  school,  by  going 
to  something  like  a  dozen  houses  and  a  few 


5x5  MEMOIR    OP 

wharves.  This  was  more  emphatically  true  the 
first  part  of  the  season  than  now,  for  I  assure 
you  there  are  some  now  who  would  not  be 
hired  to  stay  at  home  if  their  parents  would 
allow  them,  and  some  of  the  parents  would  not 
allow  them  to  be  absent.  Recently,  I  have 
taken  a  fancy  to  visit  the  grog-shops  on  Sunday 
mornings.  You  must  not  laugh  at,  or  be  angry 
with  me,  for  by  so  doing  the  inmates  go  to 
meeting.  Just  now,  I  am  making  arrangements 
for  an  evening  school,  and  to  board  myself,  for 
the  sake  of  saving  expense,  so  as  to  be  able  to 
sustain  my  school  through  the  winter. 

I  have  written  thus  to  amuse  you,  but  I  will  say, 
seriously,  that  I  am  in  an  interesting  spot.  The 
way  was  evidently  prepared  for  an  influence  to 
be  exerted  here  through  the  medium  of  a  school. 
It  has  been  my  humble  privilege  to  have  charge 
of  this  school,  and  the  Lord  has  greatly  blessed 
every  effort  that  has  been  made  for  their  benefit. 
I  do  sincerely  hope  that  some  have  been  sav- 
ingly benefited.  Some  of  the  parents  and  chil- 
dren have  indulged  the  hope  that  their  sins  are 
pardoned,  and  others  are  deeply  serious. 

I  have,  during  the  past  summer,  realized  that 
what  I  did  here  must  be  done  quickly.  Al- 
though I  have  no  assurance  of  hope,  I  find  it  a 


HARRIET    WARE.  53 

blessed  thing  to  live  in  view  of  death.  It  has 
been  peculiarly  sweet  to  think  that  whatever 
may  become  of  me  at  last,  I  may,  if  I  choose, 
live  for  Christ  while  I  live  upon  the  earth ;  and, 
though  I  have  great  occasion  to  be  humbled  in 
the  dust  that  my  heart  is  so  often  found  wan- 
dering from  God,  yet  I  desire  no  other  Master 
than  Christ.  I  wish  for  no  higher  place  than 
to  sit  at  his  feet.  The  words  of  John,  when  he 
said,  "  the  latchet  of  whose  shoes  I  am  not  wor- 
thy to  unloose,"  have  appeared  unusually  inter- 
esting to  me.  If  my  deceitful  heart  does  not 
entirely  deceive  me,  I  do  feel  it  a  privilege,  of 
which  I  am  infinitely  unworthy,  to  perform  the 
least  service  for  Him. 


PROVIDENCE,  DEC.  26,  1832. 

MY  DEAR  M.  —  *  *  *  I  hardly  know 
whether  to  sum  up  the  whole  of  myself  and 
India  Point,  and  just  say  we  are  one  family,  or 
to  give  you  a  little  description  of  my  residence, 
manner  of  life  and  the  like.  I  suppose  you 
have  so  long  despaired  of  seeing  me  a  house- 
keeper, that  you  will  be  quite  astonished  at  the 
fact,  that  it  is  even  so.  Yes,  my  dear  M.,  I 
am  a  housekeeper,  with  almost  forty  children. 


54  MEMOIR    Of 

during  the  day,  and  twenty,  yes,  nearly  thirty, 
every  evening,  except  Saturday  and  Sunday 
evenings.  I  shall  not  inform  you  of  my  style 
of  living ;  you  must  come  and  see  it.  I  have 
food  that  is  good,  and  enough  of  it.  I  have  no 
time  to  cook,  but  I  have  never  been  destitute  of 
little  rarities  ready  cooked.  Necessity  has  driven 
me  to  this.  I  found  it  would  be  utterly  impos- 
sible to  keep  school,  days  and  evenings  too,  and 
go  the  distance  I  must  to  find  board.  My  even- 
ing school  is  composed  principally  of  adults,  some 
of  whom  want  nothing  but  an  opportunity  to  be 
valuable  people  ;  others  are  just  what  they  are. 
At  the  time  when  I  was  upon  the  point  of 
giving  up  my  Sabbath  school,  for  want  of  assist- 
ance, a  stranger  came  in  one  Sabbath  morn- 
ing, and  seeing  the  state  of  things,  was  moved 
with  compassion,  and  offered  to  do  every  thing 
in  his  power  to  assist.  He  has  not  only  been 
punctual  and  efficient  himself,  but  has  obtained 
a  sufficient  number  of  excellent  teachers  from 
the  college,  and  the  school  has  taken  a  new 
character.  In  addition  to  that,  as  the  cold 
season  was  approaching,  every  thing  indicated 
that  the  school  must  be  broken  up  for  want  of 
support.  But,  just  at  the  turning  point,  and 
without  solicitation,  said  one,  Don't  you  wish 


HARRIET    WARE.  55 

for  a  good  stove  ?  I  have  one,  and  you  shall 
be  welcome  to  use  it,  as  long  as  you  have  need 
of  it.  About  the  same  time,  another  said  he 
would  be  responsible  for  as  much  fuel  as  I 
wanted.  Thus,  the  Unseen  Hand  has  been 
stretched  out  for  tfye  support  of  this  school,  and 
it  is  now  as  flourishing  as  at  any  former  period. 
Our  meetings  have  taken  a  new  character.  In- 
stead of  brethren  meetings,  we  have  the  very 
best  of  sermons,  and  instead  of  three  or  four 
men  and  women,  enough  to  half  fill  the  room. 
I  have  obtained  several  long  seats,  and  my  room 
is  filled  so  full  there  is  no  place  for  another,  and 
the  kitchen  is  also  almost  as  full.  There  is  not 
so  much  deep  seriousness  as  there  was  last  sum- 
mer, but  far  more  general  attention. 


PROVIDENCE,  DEC.  1,  1832. 

IN  consequence  of  a  very  severe  snow  storm, 
which  confines  me  to  the  house,  and  company 
being  out  of  my  room,  I  have  a  few  moments 
which  are  nearer  at  my  disposal  than  any  I  can 
recollect  for  months.  Of  course,  my  thoughts 
naturally  fix  upon  my  dear  A.,  her  husband  and 
children.  I  can  already  think  of  a  thousand 
things  I  should  love  to  know  respecting  them. 


00  MEMOIR    OF 

But  no  one  is  near  to  answer  my  questions. 
Imagination  pictures  as  much  cheerfulness  at 
your  fireside  as  is  profitable  for  you.  And,  let 
me  add,  that  your  friend  Harriet's  situation, 
probably,  is  as  unlike  yours  as  can  be  conceived, 
yet,  perhaps,  not  in  all  respects,  for  she,  too,  is  as 
cheerful  as  the  birds  of  spring  ;  I  mean  generally. 
I  hardly  know  with  what  to  fill  up  this  ; 
but,  if  you  will  endure  it  patiently,  perhaps 

1  will  give  you  a  little  history  of  your  friend  /, 
since  leaving  Hopkinton  the  last  of  March. 

I  then  came  to  this  place  by  the  request  of 
my  friend  Esther,  for .  the  purpose  of  trying  to 
establish  a  school  at  India  Point.  After  I  came, 
I  named  the  object  to  several  individuals  on 
whose  influence  it  seemed  to  depend.  All,  with 
one  or  two  exceptions,  said  No.  Said  Mr.  W., 
"  Go  back  where  you  came  from,  and  never 
name  it  again."  Said  another,  "  Do  not  think 
of  it ;  they  are  complete  savages.  A  child  of 
eight  years  of  age  would  turn  you  out  of  the 
house."  Said  another,  who  seemed  to  be  a 
ruling  Elder,  "My  dear,  you  must  not  attempt 
it.  We  cannot  encourage  or  support  you  ;  we 
do  not  think  it  respectable  for  any  female 
to  go  there."  But,  after  all,  the  school  was 
established  the  last  week  in  April,  and  my 


HARRIET    WARE. 


57 


school  was  soon  filled  with  scholars.  It  was  no 
small  curiosity  to  see  the  variety.  Some  had 
been  to  school,  and  some  had  not.  Some  could 
read,  and  some  could  not.  Some  appeared 
pleased,  and  disposed  to  treat  me  civilly ;  some 
declared  they  would  knock  my  brains  out ;  but 
they  have  never  done  it.  On  the  whole,  it 
seemed  a  spot  in  the  moral  world,  on  which  no 
dew,  or  rain,  or  life-giving  rays,  had  ever  fallen. 
But  it  seemed  there  was  a  soil,  and  the  Lord 
had  prepared  it  to  receive  seed.  In  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  school,  the  interpositions  of 
Providence  seemed  peculiarly  striking,  and  al- 
most every  step  of  its  progress  has  been  marked 
by  a  certain  something  which  seems  to  be 
understood  by  all,  even  the  wicked  and  profane, 
to  mean  —  the  Lord  hath  done  this.  From  the 
commencement  of  this  school  to  the  present 
time,  I  believe  India  Point  has  had  a  place  in 
many  hearts  who  love  to  pray.  True,  there 
have  been  times  when  it  seemed  that  all  was 
fast  sinking  ;  yet  many  tongues  and  hearts  and 
hands  have  moved  in  its  behalf;  and  moved, 
too,  at  just  such  times  and  under  such  circum- 
stances, as  distinctly  said,  the  Lord  moved  them. 
I  must  mention  some  particulars,  as  speci- 
mens of  very  many  others.  In  the  first  place, 


58  MEMOIR    OF 

it  was  proposed  to  have  a  Sabbath  school  in  con- 
nection with  the  day  school.  The  gentleman 
who  assisted  in  organizing  the  school  happen- 
ed to  be,  of  all  other  men,  the  most  suitable 
for  the  work.  He  could  excite  a  deep  inter- 
est when  most  other  men  might  have  as  well 
been  asleep.  Another  thing  ;  when  the  chol- 
era was  expected  daily,  all  said  it  would  come 
to  India  Point  first,  because  it  was  thought 
that  the  wickedness  and  filth  here  was  enough 
to  engender  it,  if  it  had  never  before  been  in 
the  world.  But  not  so.  When  the  whole  city 
was  in  commotion,  the  inhabitants  flying  like 
leaves  in  a  whirlwind,  many  day  schools  dis- 
missed or  deserted,  Sabbath  schools  distracted, 
teachers  and  children  having  fled  before  the 
destroying  angel,  India  Point  was  so  poor  it 
could  not  move.  Neither  did  I  receive  any 
direct  commission  to  flee  to  the  mountains.  Of 
course,  my  school  moved  on  without  interrup- 
tion. No  cholera  came  near  it ;  but  the  Spirit 
of  the  living  God  came  very  near,  and,  I  would 
humbly  hope,  some  brands  were  plucked  from 
the  burning.  Perhaps  I  will  tell  you  more  of 
this  before  I  get  through.  I  must  mention  one 
circumstance  more.  As  the  cold  season  was 
approaching,  every  thing  indicated  that  I  must 


HARRIET    WARE.  59 

close  my  school.  I  had  received  but  a  bare 
support ;  I  could  make  no  greater  personal  sacri- 
fice than  I  had  made,  and  there  seemed  no 
where  to  look  for  resources  sufficient  to  sustain 
it,  with  the  additional  expense  of  fuel  and  stove. 
Besides,  I  found  it  impossible  to  obtain  assist- 
ance in  the  Sabbath  school ;  those  who  had 
been  willing  to  assist  had  become  weary. 
Sometimes,  after  spending  most  of  the  Saturday 
in  trying  to  obtain  help,  I  would  go  on  Sabbath 
morning,  as  has  been  my  practice,  to  every 
house  and  wharf  on  the  Point,  to  collect  my 
children  into  school,  and  then  find  myself  the 
only  teacher,  with  perhaps  forty  scholars,  divided 
into  six  or  seven  classes.  Just  at  this  crisis,  I 
went  into  my  school-room  one  morning,  and 
found  two  gentlemen  who  were  entire  strangers 
to  me.  They  knew  as  little  of  me,  as  I  of 
them.  They  appeared  to  know  nothing  of  the 
school,  only  that  it  was  at  India  Point.  No  one 
had  invited  them  to  call.  They,  however, 
assisted  me,  and  the  next  day  one  called  again. 
After  inquiring  into  some  circumstances  in  con- 
nection with  the  school,  he  asked  if  I  was 
willing  to  stay  through  the  winter  ;  being  an- 
swered in  the  affirmative,  he  said,  "  Then  give 
yourself  no  uneasiness  about  the  support  of  the 


60  MEMOIR    OF 

school ;  I  will  be  responsible  for  it."  Thus  far, 
he  has  proved  that  he  meant  what  he  said. 

And  now,  do  not  laugh.  Your  friend  H.  is 
keeping  house,  teaching  day  school  as  usual, 
and  an  evening  school  four  evenings  in  a  week. 
My  evening  school  is  made  up  of  the  last  mate- 
rials that  are  necessary  to  finish  the  creation. 
Some  sailors  and  their  wives,  some  young  men 
who  cannot,  or  rather  could  not,  read  even  the 
alphabet,  others  who  cannot  write,  and  some  who 
are  studying  arithmetic.  Most  of  them  work  in 
the  ship-yard,  or  catch  oysters.  The  number 
of  scholars  is  eighteen.  My  room  is  perfumed 
with  a  compound  of  oyster  mud,  coal  and  tar, 
(which  forms  the  crust  of  their  faces,  hands  and 
clothes,)  rosin,  tobacco  and  gin.  But  so  it  is. 
They  are  willing  to  be  taught,  and  I  am  willing 
they  should  be.  I  am  neither  afraid  or  ashamed 
to  teach  them.  I  do  not  know  that  any  thing 
good  will  result  from  it.  But  be  it  so.  I  have 
the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  four  evenings 
in  a  week,  from  six  to  eight  o'clock,  they  are 
neither  quarrelling,  gambling,  blaspheming  the 
name  of  the  Being  who  made  them,  nor  drinking  ; 
and  this  is  reward  and  encouragement  enough. 

By  this  time  you  need  something  to  make 
you  smile.  Well,  here  it  is,  a  description  of 


\ 

HARRIET    WARE.  61 

Harriet  with  her  house-keeping  apparatus.  My 
school-room  is  a  lower  room  on  the  street, 
conveniently  fitted  for  school,  seats,  writing- 
desks,  &c..  stove  to  warm  the  room,  a  closet  for 
books,  and  wood,  &c.  My  household  furniture 
consists  of  an  old  pine  table,  one  leaf  of  which 
I  can  spread,  the  other  is  lame ;  a  water  pail, 
tin  cup,  a  furnace,  and  tin  lamp  with  the  japan 
off,  two  tea-cups  and  saucers  :  one  tea-cup  I  use 
for  sugar,  and  one  saucer  I  use  for  butter  plate  ; 
two  knives  and  one  fork,  one  tea-spoon,  one 
table  ditto.  I  cannot  finish  this  inventory  ;  it 
would  be  tedious  ;  you  can  guess  at  the  rest. 
I  have  one  very  small  room  beside  my  school- 
room, which  contains  my  clothes,  bed,  band- 
boxes, and  a  few  movable  writing  benches,  with 
a  small  closet  which  holds  all  my  stores.  Just 
let  me  say  here,  that  my  food  is  good,  and  I 
mean  it  shall  be,  for  my  fatigue  would  soon 
wear  me  out,  if  it  was  not.  There  are  three 
families  in  the  house,  beside  myself  and  the 
forty  children,  in  the  day  time.  Two  of  these 
families  contain  two  distinct  families  each, 
which  would  make  five  families  beside  my 
own.  In  the  room  adjoining  mine,  there  is 
almost  a  constant  stream  of  profanity  and  fault- 
finding, that  is,  except  when  they  are  in  the 


62  MEMOIR    OF 

evening  school.  I  have  often  left  the  house  at 
night,  because  I  was  afraid  murder  would  be 
committed  before  morning.  But  that  family 
has  moved.  Say  you,  Why  do  you  live  so? 
Come  and  see  me,  and  I  will  tell  you.  Say 
you,  Why  do  you  call  a  school  together  in  such 
a  bedlam  ?  I  answer,  It  is  the  best,  indeed  the 
only  place,  where  a  school  can  be  called  to- 
gether at  all.  But,  say  you,  No  good  can  come 
under  such  circumstances.  I  tell  you,  good  has 
come.  A  whole  neighborhood  of  children,  who, 
eight  months'  since,  could  not  read,  and  seemed 
to  know  only  how  to  profane  God's  name  and 
quarrel,  strolling  the  streets  on  the  Sabbath, 
looking  more  like  swine  than  children,  have 
learned  to  read  their  Bibles,  are  more  still  and 
civil  than  the  generality  of  children  in  the  city. 
They  do  not  now  use  profane  language,  but  are 
dressed  cleanly,  and  attend  Sabbath  school  and 
meeting.  In  some  instances,  intemperate  parents, 
who  knew  no  peace,  no  order,  no  Sabbath,  have 
become  temperate,  industrious,  orderly,  peacea- 
ble, and,  I  humbly  hope,  pious. 

But,  say  you,  Has  your  wonderful  school  done 
all  this  ?  I  answer,  No,  none  of  it  compara- 
tively. It  has  been  just  this,  and  no  more.  It 
has  found  favor  in  the  eyes  of  the  people  ;  of 


HARRIET    WARE.  63 

course  their  children  have  been  drawn  into  it, 
and  learned  to  read  ;  and,  I  do  not  say  it  has 
had  no  influence  upon  the  morals  of  the  chil- 
dren, for  it  has.     It  has  opened  a  room,  where 
Christians  can  come  together  and  pray  and  hold 
religious  meetings ;  and  by  going  to  the  people 
and  persuading  them,  they  have  frequently  been 
induced  to  come  in  and  hear,  if  for  no  other 
reason  than  to  get  rid  of  whoever  went  after 
them.     If  you  had  been  a  mouse  in  some  of  the 
India   Point  gin-shops,   on   Sabbath  mornings, 
you  might  have  received  a  call  from  one  of 
Dr.  Emmons's  people  (trained  to  his  nice  habits 
of  thinking,  that  females  must  regard  propriety,) 
insisting    on    the    inmates    going    to    meeting. 
And   still   more  would   you   be  astonished   to 
know  that  any  success  had  attended  such  man- 
agement as  this.     But,  strange  as  it  may  seem, 
it  is  true.     In  my  opinion,  this  is  the  very  place 
where  such  effort  is  the   only  thing  that  can 
reach  them.     But  how  one  of  Dr.  E.'s  people 
ever  came  to  be  sent  to  such  a  place  no  body 
can  tell,  unless  it  was  to  make  her  willing  to 
bend  a  little.     We  have  preaching  here  once  a 
week.     I  will  only  add,  that  good  influences, 
from  various  sources,  are  now  exerted  in  this 
neighborhood,  and  they  are  felt.     I  believe  the 


64  MEMOIR    OF 

Spirit  of  God  has  been  here  ;  and  the  result  of 
it  is,  the  woman  with  whom  I  lodge  has  in- 
dulged a  hope,  and  last  month  united  with  the 
church.  Three  more  (one  a  member  of  my 
school)  are  candidates  for  admission  to  the 
church.  Others  give  evidence  of  piety.  Some 
others  are  anxious.  My  dear  friend,  it  has  not 
very  unfrequently,  during  the  past  summer,  been 
my  privilege  to  attend  my  own  dear  children  to 
the  inquiry  meetings.  I  should  love  to  tell  you 
a  great  deal  of  the  deeply  interesting  state  of 
things  which  is  existing  here,  but  I  have  taken 
all  my  paper,  and  filled  it  with  what  I  am  afraid 
will  make  you  despise  me.  Do  forgive  me  for 
writing  and  sending  such  a  worthless  thing  as 
this.  Do  write,  not  because  this  deserves  an 
answer,  but  because  I  wish  to  hear  from  you. 
Yours  most  affectionately, 

HARRIET  WARE. 


PROVIDENCE,  JAN.  17,  1833. 

*  *  *  *  I  do  my  own  work,  and  have 
a  day  and  evening  school.  One  evening  in  the 
week  there  is  preaching  in  my  room.  On 
Saturdays,  I  generally  make  calls  on  the  fami- 
lies in  the  place,  besides  other  calls  of  business ; 


HARRIET    WARE.  65 

and,  on  Saturday  evenings,  my  room  is  the 
resort  of  all  the  boys  who  are  disposed  to  come. 
Some  come  to  prepare  Sabbath  school  lessons, 
others  to  be  amused  in  any  way  I  can  think  of. 
This  being  their  leisure  evening,  they  would 
otherwise  be  particularly  exposed  to  temptation. 
Sunday  mornings,  I  rise  very  early,  and,  with  all 
my  diligence,  cannot  more  than  have  myself  and 
my  room  prepared  by  nine  o'clock,  when  teach- 
ers and  children  assemble  for  Sabbath  school. 
I  attend  church  twice,  and  sometimes  go  in  the 
evening,  but  should  never  go  in  the  evening 
except  for  the  sake  of  others.  One  hour  of  the 
intermission  on  Sunday  noons,  is  spent  in  read- 
ing to  those  who  wish  to  hear.  Now,  can  you 
tell  me  where  my  leisure  time  is  ? 

Do  not  think,  dear  friends,  that  I  am  driven 
to  this  sad  dilemma  against  my  will.  It  is  my 
choice,  and  the  pleasure  of  my  life  so  to  live.  Sin- 
cerely do  I  hope  that  I  shall  never  be  much  more 
at  leisure.  I  should  really  enjoy  telling  you  how 
signal  have  been  the  interpositions  of  Provi- 
dence in  behalf  of  this  school.  I  will  only  say 
that  my  school  is  daily  increasing  in  interest  j 
and  the  causes  which  lead  to  this  result  are 
such  as  can  be  ascribed  to  no  human  wisdom 
or  forethought.  Every  thing  is  now  in  train 

5 


bO  MEMOIR    OF 

for  a  good  school-house,  and  some  other  things 
are  in  progress  which  it  seems  may  facilitate 
effort.  But,  after  all,  I  am  by  no  means  anxious 
for  those  appearances  of  permanency,  which 
might  lead  one  almost  to  trust  in  them.  Hith- 
erto, dependence,  entire  dependence  and  exertion, 
has  marked  the  way. 

I  must  not  forget  to  say,  that  four  from  this 
little  spot  have  recently  made  a  profession,  and 
others  indulge  a  hope ;  and,  for  months,  there 
has  not  been  a  time  when  some  were  not  inquir- 
ing on  the  subject  of  religion.  This  is  the  Lord's 
doing,  and  is  truly  marvellous  in  the  eyes  of  all 
who  have  known  any  thing  of  this  place. 

JULY  22,  1835. 

Never  did  the  privilege  of  providing  homes 
for  little  wretched  children  appear  so  valuable,  as 
since  I  thought  it  was  a  fixed  case,  that  I  could 
not  get  away  from  here.  I  have  often  thought 
that,  with  or  without  a  support,  I  will  never 
again  complain  of  fatigue  or  perplexity,  as  long 
as  one  neglected  child  remains  in  these  streets 
that  I  can  benefit  by  removing. 


HARRIET    WARE.  67 

PROVIDENCE,  Nov.  19,  1833. 

Mr  DEAR  FRIENDS  —  I  would  have  you  make 
much  of  a  little  from  your  old  friend  Harriet, 
even  if  that  little  should  happen  to  be  good  for 
nothing ;  for  you  must  know  it  is  no  common 
occurrence  for  me  to  write  to  a  friend.  I  love 
them,  when  I  can  get  time  to  think  of  them,  as 
well  as  ever  ;  but  I  have  scarcely  written  a  let- 
ter since  I  wrote  to  you  last  year,  except  when 
positive  necessity  has  compelled  me.  I  know 
I  have  all  the  time  there  is,  but  it  does  not  seem 
half  enough  for  all  I  have  to  do.  I  often  think 
I  should  love  to  have  you  come  and  see  just 
how  I  live,  and  how  others  live  around  me  ;  not 
that  I  think  it  would  be  very  flattering  to  my 
vanity,  but  I  used  to  think  you  good  for  counsel. 

As  you  do  not  often  hear  from  me,  I  be- 
lieve I  shall  begin  just  where  I  closed  my  last 
letter.  I  was  then  keeping  house  for  the  sake 
of  sustaining  a  day  and  evening  school.  I  con- 
tinued these  during  the  winter,  with  no  other 
interruption  than  an  occasional  drunken  revel, 
which  would  break  up  the  school.  Three  or 
four  times,  in  one  week,  my  scholars  were  dis- 
persed by  the  cry  of  murder  in  the  house.  And 
once,  in  the  dead  of  night,  your  friend  Harriet, 
with  all  her  courage,  escaped  from  her  bed  with 


68  MEMOIR   OF 

her  teeth  chattering  in  her  head  with  fear,  and 
ran  after  the  watch  in  her  night  clothes.  But 
nobody  was  killed ;  and  after  going  away  a  few 
days,  until  my  nerves  were  quieted  a  little,  I 
went  back  to  school.  The  last  of  May  I  broke 
up  house-keeping,  and  commenced  boarding  in 
one  of  the  families  on  the  Point,  consisting  only 
of  a  man  and  his  wife.  In  just  one  week  after 
I  commenced  boarding  with  them,  the  man  died 
of  delirium  tremens.  Never  can  I  forget  the 
horrors  of  that  scene.  I  will  not  attempt  a  de- 
scription, and  may  you  never  witness  any  thing 
similar  to  it.  I  will  just  say,  that  I  never  came 
as  near  imagining  what  is  meant  by  the  threat- 
enings  denounced  in  the  Bible  against  the 
wicked.  I  have  since  continued  with  his 
widow.  She  is  still,  neat,  and  remarkably  kind 
and  clever.  She  is  one  who  did  not  know  her 
letters  when  I  came  here.  She  is  very  little 
company  for  me,  and  there  is  no  other  family 
in  the  house.  This  is  as  I  wish  to  have  it.  I 
have  no  time  to  enjoy  society,  and  I  wish  for 
no  temptations  of  the  kind.  Was  I  placed  in  a 
family,  where  I  valued  the  society  at  all,  it  would 
be  like  placing  a  hungry  person  in  sight  of  food 
which  he  might  not  taste.  During  last  winter, 
there  was  just  enough  of  excitement  to  keep  me 


HARRIET    WARE.  69 

from  knowing  that  I  was  ever  fatigued.  But 
when  spring  came,  I  found  that  every  part  of 
my  system,  physical  and  mental,  was  completely 
worn  out.  Bat  my  opportunity  for  rest  was 
nothing  better  than  the  care  of  between  seventy 
and  eighty  of  the  most  ungovernable  spirits  that 
ever  were.  My  little  India  Pointers  I  thought 
rather  curious  at  first,  but  they  could  not  hold 
a  comparison  to  those  who  came  in  from  off  the 
Point.  I  suppose  I  became  somewhat  popular 
for  managing  unruly  boys ;  of  course,  if  there 
was  one  that  nobody  else  would  have  in  school, 
he  was  sure  to  be  picked  up  and  sent  to  me. 
Boys  of  this  stamp,  being  sent  in  one  after  ano- 
ther, keep  things  in  motion.  I  sometimes  think 
of  applying  to  the  city  authority  for  a  tax  to  be 
paid  to  the  school,  for  it  is  certainly  convenient 
to  have  a  depot  for  every  vile  thing  that  can  be 
picked  up  in  the  south  part  of  the  city.  What 
should  you  think  of  such  a  plan  ? 

But,  to  return  to  myself,  and  say  some  pleasant 
things.  A  vacation  of  three  weeks  in  September, 
has  quite  restored  my  health  and  spirits  ;  so  that 
I  have  engaged  to  commence  a  colored  evening 
school  next  week,  half  a  mile  from  my  day 
school.  When  I  wrote  you  last  year,  I  was 
keeping  school  in  a  private  house  j  since  that, 


70  MEMOIR    OP 

Mr.  Nicholas  Brown  has  given  a  large  school- 
house,  and  Mr.  Thayer  has  moved  it  upon  the 
Point.  The  Sabbath  school  is  well  sustained  by 
teachers  of  the  first  order  from  college.  And 
many  other  pleasant  things  I  could  mention. 
But,  after  all,  either  from  unbelief  or  the  sober 
dictates  of  my  own  judgment,  I  have  some 
misgivings.  Every  thing  that  was  novel  in  the 
beginning  has  passed  away.  The  workers  of 
iniquity  have  become  familiar  with  my  presence. 
They  are  a  people  of  no  fixed  principle,  and  the 
whole  weight  of  influence  that  can  be  exerted, 
must  be  brought  to  bear  upon  feeling.  Go  and 
say  the  most  solemn  things  to  them,  and  many 
of  them  will  feel  every  word,  and  while  that 
feeling  lasts  they  will  act.  Those  too,  who, 
we  really  hope,  have  passed  from  death  unto 
life,  seem  destitute  of  decided  principle.  While 
they  "  walk  in  the  Spirit,  they  bring  forth  the 
fruits  of  the  Spirit,"  but  the  moment  good  feel- 
ing declines,  they  have  nothing  to  keep  up  the 
deception  a  moment.  They  will  act  directly  in 
the  face  of  the  plainest  commands  of  the  Bible, 
and  enjoy  religion  too.  The  children,  while  in 
school,  seem  to  understand  something  about 
moral  restraints ;  but  the  moment  they  are  out 
of  school,  they  are  under  the  improper  influence 


HARRIET    WARE.  71 

of  vicious  parents,  or  idlers  in  the  streets,  who, 
in  many  instances,  stand  watching  for  them  the 
moment  they  leave  the  house.  I  sometimes 
feel  almost  discouraged,  yet  I  believe  it  wrong 
to  indulge  one  feeling  of  the  kind,  farther  than 
this.  I  may  not,  after  all,  act  on  the  best  plan 
for  accomplishing  good.  I  have  not  half  as 
good  an  opinion  of  myself  or  my  own  judgment 
as  I  had  one  year  ago.  And  then,  again,  I  have 
found  by  experience,  that  I  am  just  that  human 
being  that  cannot  bear  much  success.  I  know, 
in  some  instances,  I  have  felt  proud  of?  the  fine 
things  that  /  have  accomplished.  But  some- 
thing must  be  done  to  save  these  dear  children. 
But  I  must  not  close  without  saying  that  I 
enjoy  many  privileges,  good  preaching,  and 
attend  two  Bible  classes. 


72  MEMOIR    OF 


CHAPTER  III. 


IT  was  stated,  at  the  commencement  of  the 
last  chapter,  that  Miss  Ware,  during  the  latter 
part  of  her  residence  at  India  Point,  had  been 
quite  successful  in  finding  places  in  the  country 
for  the  children  under  her  care.  This,  in  the 
end,  became  the  most  important  part  of  her 
undertaking.  The  obstacles,  however,  which 
impeded  her  progress,  in  this  form  of  benevo- 
lence, were  many  and  serious.  Her  plans  were 
frequently  thwarted  by  the  parents  themselves, 
who  sometimes  recalled  their  children  from  the 
most  desirable  situations.  Besides,  she  felt  it 
important,  in  order  .to  procure  for  her  pupils  a 
home  in  religious  families,  that  they  should 
have  some  better  preparatory  training  than  could 
be  acquired  in  their  present  circumstances. 
Added  to  this  was  the  fact,  that  India  Point  had 
been  selected  as  the  terminus  of  the  Boston  and 


HARRIET    WARE.  73 

Providence  railroad  ;  and  this  would,  from  ne- 
cessity, change  the  whole  character  of  the  neigh- 
borhood, and  oblige  her  to  remove  her  school  to 
some  other  locality. 

These  facts  seemed  to  indicate  to  Miss  Ware 
the  necessity  of  an  entire  change  of  her  arrange- 
ments. She  must  soon  leave  India  Point. 
Should  she  leave  the  city,  or  commence  the 
same  labor  again  in  some  other  of  its  suburbs  1 
Should  she  determine  upon  the  latter  course, 
she  would  be  beset  by  the  same  obstacles,  and 
find  her  most  promising  plans  defeated  by  the 
perversity  of  parents.  What  she  longed  and 
prayed  for  was,  some  home  where  she  could 
gather  the  children  around  her,  separate  them 
from  corrupt  associates,  train  them  for  useful- 
ness, cultivate  their  moral  nature,  and  then 
place  them  in  situations  where  they  might  grow 
up  in  habits  of  usefulness. 

On  this  subject,  she,  at  sundry  times,  con- 
versed with  me.  I  could  not  but  become  deeply 
interested  in  her  views.  Here  was  a  woman 
admirably  qualified  for  the  task,  whose  most 
earnest  desire  it  was  to  devote  her  life  to  the 
work  of  rescuing  orphan  children,  and  children 
frequently  more  unfortunate  than  orphans,  from 
almost  certain  destruction,  and  transforming 


74  MEMOIR    OF 

them  into  valuable  members  of  society.  She 
would  have  scorned  a  remuneration  had  it  been 
offered  her.  All  she  wanted  was,  to  do  the 
good  at  any  personal  sacrifice.  The  mere 
opportunity  of  thus  being  useful  to  these  friend- 
less little  ones,  was,  I  truly  believe,  vastly  more 
attractive  to  her  than  the  most  brilliant  situation 
of  which  the  mind  can  conceive. 

It  seemed  to  me  that  Divine  Providence  must 
smile  on  efforts  dictated  by  a  spirit  so  eminently 
Christian  and  self-sacrificing  ;  and  that,  at  any 
rate,  the  design  was  not  to  be  abandoned  with- 
out an  effort.  It  happened  that  I  was  at  that 
time  engaged  in  the  instruction  of  a  Bible  class 
of  ladies,  of  various  denominations  of  Christians, 
in  Providence.  I  requested  Miss  Ware  to  attend 
the  next  meeting  ;  and,  at  the  close  of  the  exer- 
cises, I  stated  the  facts,  and  requested  her  to 
add  such  explanations  as  she  saw  fit.  The  per- 
sons present  entered  warmly  into  the  plan,  and 
with  a  cheerfulness  of  benevolence  characteristic 
of  the  ladies  of  Providence,  several  of  them  at 
once  volunteered  to  solicit  subscriptions  in  behalf 
of  the  object.  In  a  few  days,  between  five  and 
six  hundred  dollars  were  collected.  This  was 
abundantly  sufficient  for  the  present  purpose, 
which  was  only  to  give  the  experiment  a  fair 


HARRIET    WARE.  75 

trial.  A  small  house  was  rented,  and  furnished 
in  the  cheapest  manner,  and  the  effort  was  thus 
commenced.  A  society  was  formed,  and  ladies 
of  the  most  suitable  character,  from  various 
denominations,  were  willing  to  superintend  the 
management  of  the  institution.  Thus  com- 
menced the  "  Providence  Children's  Friend  So- 
ciety." 

The  house  was  soon  filled  to  overflowing. 
Another,  and  more  commodious  house,  was  soon 
rented.  The  institution  became  known  through- 
out the  city,  and  its  merits  were  duly  appre- 
ciated. It  was  seen  that  Miss  Ware  possessed 
a  remarkable  talent  for  conducting  such  an 
establishment.  To  her  rare  capacity  for  in- 
structing the  young  and  of  improving  their 
moral  nature,  she  added  a  skill  in  practical 
economy,  by  which  every  dollar  was  made  to 
do  all  the  good  that  a  dollar  could  do.  It  was 
scarcely  possible  to  conceive  how  so  large  a 
family  could  be  supported  at  so  small  an  ex- 
pense. Yet,  there  was  in  this  economy  nothing 
approaching  to  penuriousness.  She  was  one  of 
the  most  generous  persons  I  have  ever  known. 
Her  children  were  all  well  fed  and  clothed  ; 
they  were  in  high  health,  happy  and  joyous. 
The  secret  was,  that  she  allowed  nothing  to  be 


76 


MEMOIR    OF' 


wasted.  Nothing  was  ever  thrown  away,  while 
it  could  be  put  to  any  use,  and  she  was  pe- 
culiarly ingenious  in  finding  a  use  for  every 
thing.  The  children  all  loved  her  as  a  mother, 
and  she  felt  for  them  more  than  a  common 
parental  affection. 

When  the  second  house  was  found  inadequate 
to  the  purposes  of  the  establishment,  it  was 
determined  by  some  benevolent  laSies  and  gen- 
tlemen to  purchase  a  site  where  it  could  be  per- 
manently accommodated.  A  convenient  house, 
with  ample  grounds,  in  a  very  pleasant  part 
of  the  city,  was  bought  by  subscription,  and 
presented  to  the  society.  Thither  Miss  Ware 
removed  in  the  year  1836,  and  there  she  con- 
tinued until  her  death. 

Though  the  number  of  the  children  under 
her  care  was  increased,  and  the  means  at  her 
disposal  enlarged,  yet  there  was  no  change 
whatever  in  her  management  of  the  institution. 
She  was  able  to  receive  now  about  fifty,  and 
the  liberality  of  the  citizens  of  Providence 
always  supplied  her  with  whatever  she  needed 
for  their  support.  Still,  however,  the  same  rig- 
orous economy  was  observed,  and  the  same  self- 
denial  put  in  practice ;  the  same  vigilant  care 
watched  over  every  friendless  child,  whether  in 


HARRIET    WARE.  77 

health  or  sickness  ;  and  if  there  happened  to  be 
one  peculiarly  destitute  and  feeble,  requiring  her 
attention  by  day  and  by  night,  that  one  was 
sure  to  be  especially  beloved.  The  idea  of 
labor,  or  fatigue,  or  discomfort,  never  seemed  to 
enter  her  thoughts,  if  she  was  only  relieving 
distress,  or  ministering  to  the  welfare  of  these 
little  orphans.  In  almost  every  one,  she  could 
discover  some  traits  of  peculiar  interest,  and  if, 
perchance,  any  one  of  them  seemed  more  than 
commonly  perverse,  the  conviction,  that  if  she 
gave  him  up  he  must  go  to  inevitable  destruc- 
tion, led  her  to  cling  to  him  with  a  pertinacity 
that  seemed  to  her  friends  almost  inexplicable. 
The  fact  was,  she  had  so  often  succeeded  in 
reclaiming  children  of  the  most  unpromising 
character,  that  she  seemed  to  believe  nothing 
was  impossible,  if  the  motives  of  the  Gospel 
were  kindly  and  perseveringly  addressed  to  the 
conscience.  Her  success  in  such  cases  fre- 
quently astonished  her  friends,  and  testified 
that,  even  in  such  cases,  she  commonly  judged 
wisely.  The  result  has  been,  that  by  her  ex- 
ertions an  institution  for  orphan  children  has 
been  established  in  this  city,  of  a  most  interest- 
ing character  ;  that  it  has  ever  held  a  high  place 
in  the  esteem  of  our  citizens,  and  promises  long 


78  MEMOIR    OF 

to  disseminate  the  richest  blessings  among  the 
orphan  childre*n  of  our  community. 

If  it  be  asked,  What  was  the  secret  of  this 
success  ?  how  was  it,  that  a  young  woman, 
almost  wholly  unknown,  and  wholly  destitute 
of  means,  should  have  been  enabled  to  accom- 
plish so  great  an  amount  of  good  ?  I  think  the 
answer  is  obvious.  She  acted  on  principles 
peculiar  to  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  She  was,  in 
the  first  place,  sincerely  and  earnestly  desirous 
to  do  good ;  and,  to  accomplish  this  purpose, 
was  willing  to  make  any  personal  sacrifice.  In 
the  next  place,  she  put  this  desire  into  practice, 
by  engaging  in  the  first  benevolent  labor  that 
was  placed  before  her.  She  did  not  wait  until 
something  precisely  in  harmony  with  her  intel- 
lectual tastes  or  social  affections  should  present 
itself,  but  undertook  the  first  work  that  her  Mas- 
ter placed  before  her.  Nay,  she  herself,  rather 
chose  the  humblest  and  most  self-denying  la- 
bor, as  that  which  would  best  promote  her 
"spiritual  interests,  and  bear  to  her  own  bosom 
the  most  abiding  conviction  that  she  was  labor- 
ing for  God.  In  the  next  place,  she  commenced 
the  labor  herself,  and  was  the  pioneer  of  the 
whole  undertaking.  Instead  of  going  about 
to  secure  aid  and  encouragement  before  she 


HARRIET    WARE.  79 

began,  she  began  first,  and  trusted  that  aid  and 
support  would  come  as  they  were  needed.  As 
soon  as  she  commenced  upon  these  principles, 
the  providence  of  God  sent  her  assistants  in 
abundance.  Every  one  saw  that  she  was  wil- 
ling to  labor  herself,  and  do  every  thing  in  her 
power  before  she  called  for  aid,  and  that  the 
aid  required  was  not  for  her,  but  for  the  cause. 
Every  one  was  thus  pleased  with  the  opportu- 
nity of  being  associated  with  her.  We  all  love 
to  cooperate  with  an  honest  and  earnest  laborer, 
who  is  able  to  go  alone ;  while  we  all  draw 
back  from  associating  with  a  doer  of  good, 
who,  full  of  good  intentions,  and  desirous  of 
leading  in  a  worthy  enterprise,  must  always  be 
fed  by  other  men's  hands,  and  be  carried  on 
other  men's  shoulders.  Miss  Ware  was  emi- 
nently a  self-relying  woman.  She  would  have 
scorned  to  impose  upon  another  one  half  of  the 
labor  or  responsibility  which  she  imposed  upon 
herself.  When  a  sacrifice  was  to  be  made,  she 
instinctively  and  quietly  made  it  herself.  Her 
example  was  contagious.  The  same  spirit  was 
communicated  to  those  associated  with  her ; 
and  thus,  all  making  sacrifices  for  the  cause,  the 
cause  of  necessity  prospered,  and,  in  the  end, 
she  prospered  with  it. 


80  MEMOIR  or 

In  the  next  place,  she  was  emphatically  a 
woman  of  faith.  By  this  I  do  not  of  course 
mean  merely  a  believer  in  Christ,  but  some- 
thing more.  She  received,  as  I  have  before 
remarked,  the  promises  of  the  Gospel  as  the 
assurances  of  a  kind  and  ever  watchful  Parent, 
on  which  she  might  rely  in  every  time  of  need. 
She  obeyed  literally  the  command,  "Be  ye  care- 
ful for  nothing,  but,  in  every  thing,  by  prayer 
and  supplication,  make  your  wants  known  unto 
God."  Conscious  that  she  was  doing  not  her 
own  work,  but  the  work  of  God,  that  her  mo- 
tive was  not  to  please  herself,  but  to  please 
Him,  she  felt  that  she  might  rely  with  confi- 
dence upon  Him  under  every  circumstance  into 
which  the  path  of  duty  might  conduct  her. 
Hence  she  commenced  and  prosecuted,  and  ter- 
minated her  designs  in  prayer.  From  God  she 
sought  counsel  in  deciding  what  she  should 
undertake,  how  she  should  undertake  and  pros- 
ecute it,  and  to  Him  alone  she  ascribed  all  the 
praise  of  its  success.  When  she  needed  aid, 
she  applied  to  God  before  she  applied  to  man, 
and  very  frequently  she  found  that  the  former 
application  rendered  the  latter,  unnecessary ;  for, 
either  while  she  was  yet  speaking  the  answer 
was  received,  or  else,  the  hearts  of  her  friends 


HARRIET    WARE.  81 

were  so  directed,  that  she  had  only  to  mention 
the  subject,  and  the  needful  aid  was  afforded. 
She  did  not  often  mention  such  things,  lest  she 
should  seem  to  boast  of  her  piety,  which  she 
above  all  things  abhorred ;  yet,  it  was  evident 
from  the  whole  tenor  of  her  conversation,  that 
her  memory  was  filled  with  them.  Many  of 
these  instances  she  had  I  believe  recorded,  as 
an  encouragement  to  others,  when,  from  the 
fear  that  it  might  be  otherwise  interpreted,  she 
committed  the  manuscript  to  the  flames. 

In  the  year  1845,  or  perhaps  the  year  pre- 
ceding, the  first  symptoms  appeared  of  that 
malady  which  at  last  proved  fatal.  Her  mother 
had  died  of  cancer,  and  she  seems  to  have  in- 
herited a  tendency  to  the  same  disorder.  In 
the  hope  of  arresting  its  progress,  and  thus  ena- 
bling herself  to  devote  a  little  more  of  life  to 
her  orphans,  she  submitted  to  two  surgical  ope- 
rations, but  without  ultimate  success.  It  was 
while  absent  from  home  for  medical  treatment, 
that  several  of  the  letters  in  the  present  chapter 
were  written.  They  exhibit  in  a  clear  light 
the  strongly  marked  elements  of  her  character, 
and  show,  that,  under  all  circumstances,  the 
Lord  was  her  support  and  her  salvation. 

The   disease   at   last  became  seated  in  the 
6 


O/5  MEMOIR    OF 

internal  viscera,  where  it  was  beyond  the  reach 
of  human  aid.  She  at  first  dreaded  the  intense 
pain  to  which  patients  in  this  complaint  are  fre- 
quently subjected.  In  this  respect,  however, 
her  prayer  was  heard,  and  her  suffering  was  far 
less  than  she  had  feared.  She  had  but  little 
pain,  strictly  so  called,  but  a  sort  of  indescri- 
bable nervous  restlessness,  that  was  at  times 
almost  intolerable.  The  pain  she  considered  to 
be  controlled  by  homoeopathic  remedies  ;  while 
the  restlessness  was  greatly  relieved  by  the  use 
of  cold  water.  "  When  I  find  this  restlessness 
coming  on,"  said  she,  "I  dip  a  sheet  in  cold 
water,  wrap  myself  in  it,  and  lie  down  and 
sleep  like  an  infant.  I  always  keep  a  bowl  of 
water  at  my  bedside  for  this  purpose." 

It  was  during  this  gradual  decline  of  her 
strength,  that  most  of  the  following  letters 
were  written.  She  was  enabled  to  take  short 
excursions  during  the  summer,  and  also  inquire 
by  letter  concerning  the  welfare  of  her  orphans. 
But,  as  her  strength  failed,  she  confined  her 
efforts  to  the  house,  assisting  in  every  labor  to 
which  her  physical  power  was  competent.  It 
was  a  sore  trial  to  her  to  feel  that  she  could  do 
nothing  more,  but  this  trial  was  not  imposed 
upon  her  until  a  few  days  before  her  death.  I 


HARRIET    WARE. 


have,  however,  prolonged  this  introductory 
notice  of  a  chapter  far  beyond  my  intention, 
and  it  is  time  to  bring  it  to  a  close. 


WELLS,  AUGUST  26,  1845. 

I  KNOW  not  whether  you  have  kept  any  track 
of  your  old  friend,  but  I  shall  venture  to  conclude 
you  have  not,  and  give  you  a  brief  history  of  my- 
self for  the  last  fifteen  or  sixteen  years,  when,  as 
near  as  I  can  remember,  I  wrote  you  from  Hop- 
kinton,  where  I  was  then  teaching  school. 

In  the  spring  of  1832,  I  received  a  letter 
from  a  friend  in  Providence,  describing  the  sit- 
uation of  a  destitute  and  degraded  neighbor- 
hood in  the  south  part  of  the  city,  where  the 
parents,  grandparents  and  children,  with  but 
few  exceptions,  could  not  read,  and  had  never 
received  religious  instruction.  She  thought 
that  if  a  school  could  be  established  there,  good 
might  be  done,  and  had  no  doubt  but  the 
"  School  and  Tract  Society "  would  render 
needed  assistance.  It  struck  me  at  once  as 
being  the  place  for  me,  as  I  had  always  wished 
that  I  was  fit  to  be,  if  nothing  more,  "  a  drawer 
of  water"  among  the  heathen;  but  ever  felt 


84  MEMOIR    OF 

that  I  was  neither  worth  sending  nor  going  by 
myself.  Accordingly,  about  the  middle  of 
April,  I  left  Hopkinton  and  went  to  Providence. 
But  when  I  came  to  consult  those  whose  appro- 
bation I  thought  necessary,  I  found  the  object 
was  too  unpopular  to  meet  with  an  encouraging 
word,  except  from  one  Christian  woman.  Of 
course  I  must  go  to  work  on  my  own  responsi- 
bility, or  not  at  all.  I  succeeded  in  obtaining  a 
room  in  a  house  occupied  by  three  miserable 
drunken  families,  the  only  one  I  could  find,  and 
the  first  week  in  May  commenced  my  school. 
Mr.  Phillips,  the  Baptist  minister,  nearest  to  the 
school,  and  the  Sabbath  School  agent,  treated 
me  with  kindness  and  attention.  Most  others  re- 
garded me  as  little  less  degraded  than  the  neigh- 
borhood where  I  had  chosen  to  fix  ,my  habita- 
tion. My  school  prospered,  a  Sabbath  school 
was  organized  the  first  Sabbath,  but  nobody 
would  assist  in  teaching,  till  after  two  months 
had  passed  away,  the  wife  of  the  president,  and 
of  one  of  the  professors  in  college,  called  on  me. 
Mrs.  W.,  when  she  left,  put  some  money  into 
my  hands,  saying  her  husband  wished  to  see 
me  for  something  in  particular,  and  wished  I 
would  call ;  I  did  so  soon  after,  and  was  received 
with  the  greatest  kindness,  and  an  offer  of 


HARRIET    WARE.  »5 

assistance  in  any  way  I  might  require.  From 
that  time  I  was  liberally  supplied  with  teachers 
from  the  college  ;  of  course  the  current  was  turn- 
ed, and  popularity  was  the  enemy  to  be  feared. 
God,  however,  in  great  mercy,  poured  out  His 
spirit,  and  some,  I  have  still  great  reason  to 
hope,  were  adopted  into  the  family  of  Christ. 

The  next  winter,  I  had  an  evening  school, 
attended  by  men  and  women,  some  of  whom 
were  more  than  fifty  years  of  age,  who  learn- 
ed to  read  and  write.  It  has  interested  me 
exceedingly  to  learn,  that  three  years  ago  in  a 
revival,  many  heads  of  families,  who  learned 
the  alphabet  at  that  school,  were  converted,  and 
now  read  the  Bible  in  their  families.  There 
was  much  that  was  interesting,  during  the 
three  years  I  remained  there,  which  I  now 
record  in  memory,  as  belonging  to  the  most 
eventful  period  of  my  life.  I  very  soon  became 
convinced  that  where  children  were  exposed 
to  the  very  worst  influence  from  vile  and 
drunken  parents  at  home,  but  little  could  be 
done  in  school  to  train  them  to  become  good 
and  industrious  citizens  ;  and  succeeded  in  per- 
suading most  of  the  parents  to  let  their  children 
go  to  good  places  in  the  country.  But,  as  the 
parents  retained  a  legal  right  to  recall  their 


OO  MEMOIR   OF 

children,  they  would  often  do  it.  Other  efforts 
made  in  various  ways  and  by  various  societies, 
for  the  benefit  of  the  children  of  the  poor  and 
vile,  were  found  to  fail  of  securing  fixed  habits 
of  industry,  and  an  influence  favorable  to  their 
present  and  future  good.  While  at  India  Point, 
for  there  was  the  eventful  spot,  I  often  found  my- 
self rearing  my  Babylon  of  straw,  which  would 
always  be  in  the  form  of  a  great  house,  where  I 
was  living  with  poor  children,  entirely  indepen- 
dent of  their  vile  parents.  Little  did  I  then  think, 
when  roused  from  my  reveries,  what  God  in  his 
wise  and  merciful  Providence  was  preparing. 

Some  time  in  the  summer  of  1835,  I  ven- 
tured to  talk  with  Dr.  W.  about  the  obstacles 
in  the  way  of  accomplishing  much  towards 
making  good  citizens  of  the  class  of  children 
for  whom  so  much  had  been  done.  It  seemed 
that  his  own  mind  had  been  dwelling  on  the 
same  subject,  and  at  once  the  plan  was  projected 
of  something  like  an  asylum  for  unprotected 
children.  It  was  soon  named  to  a  few  others, 
and  when  presented  to  the  public,  it  seemed 
that  the  public  mind  was  prepared  to  hail  it. 
Dr.  W.  named  it  to  a  Bible  class  of  ladies,  under 
his  care,  and  they  volunteered  to  make  collec- 
tions sufficient  to  warrant  a  beginning  by  way 


HARRIET    WARE.  87 

of  experiment.  Between  five  and  six  hundred 
dollars  were  raised,  and  the  first  Tuesday  in 
October,  several  ladies  met  together,  formed  a 
society,  and  adopted  a  constitution  previously 
drawn  up,  by  the  name  of  the  Providence 
Children's  Friend's  Society.  The  first  day  of 
November  I  commenced  house-keeping,  with 
one  little  boy,  in  a  small  tenement  for  which 
we  paid  but  fifty  dollars  rent.  This  was  com- 
menced simply  as  an  experiment ;  and,  notwith- 
standing my  sanguine  temperament,  I  rather 
expected  it  would  fail  than  succeed.  I  will 
not  enter  into  detail,  but  suffice  it  to  say,  we 
were  able  to  add  to  our  tenement  in  the  spring, 
so  that  we  paid  eighty  dollars ;  yet  before  the 
close  of  the  year,  our  family  increased  so,  that 
we  were  obliged  to  spread  six  beds  on  the  floor 
at  night,  for  want  of  room  to  set  up  bedsteads. 
The  next  November  we  moved  into  a  larger 
house  with  thirty-four  children.  Towards  the 
close  of  that  year,  a  large,  convenient  house, 
with  gardens  and  sufficient  play-ground,  was 
purchased  in  the  west  part  of  the  city.  The 
location  is  elevated  and  healthy,  and  the  pros- 
pect of  almost  the  whole  city  delightful. 

Our  tenth  year  is  almost  completed,  and  as  we 
look  back  upon  all  the  way  which  our  God  has 


88  MEMOIR    OF 

led  us,  we  can  but  exclaim  with  joy  and  grati- 
tude, surely  goodness  and  mercy  have  followed 
us  every  step  of  the  way.  You  will  not  infer 
that  we  have  had  no  trials,  that  no  clouds  have 
gathered  over  us,  thick  and  dark,  threatening 
to  destroy  us.  Oh,  no !  God  has  been  too 
merciful  to  allow  us  to  be  ruined  with  pros- 
perity. But  I  believe  He  has  given  us  as  much 
success  as  we  could  possibly  bear.  Our  bread 
and  our  water  has  not  failed,  and  never  for  a 
moment  have  I  believed  that  He  who  feeds  the 
ravens,  has  ever  sent  us  a  child  to  be  starved. 
We  have  never  known  the  want  of  kind  and 
efficient  friends,  whose  sympathy  and  counsel 
has  been  exceedingly  valuable.  For  three  years 
previous  to  this,  our  family  of  children  has 
averaged  forty-seven.  About  ninety  who  have 
been  legally  adopted  into  the  family,  are  now 
provided  with  good  homes,  and  are  learning  to 
earn  their  living,  or  rather  are  earning  it.  About 
half  that  number  have  also  been  thus  provided 
for,  who  were  never  adopted  into  the  family. 
The  present  prospects  of  these  children  are 
generally  as  good  as  those  of  the  children  of 
our  most  respectable  citizens. 

One  more  circumstance  that  has  contributed 
much  to  my  essential  happiness,  is,  that  a  friend 


HARRIET    WARE.  89 

that  I  loved  very  much,  and  who  had  contri- 
buted much  to  my  help  and  comfort  at  India 
Point,  called  on  me  the  first  day  I  commenced 
house-keeping,  without  intending  to  remain, 
but  has  never  yet  left  me.  She  has  proved  an 
invaluable  assistant  to  me ;  I  think  I  love  her 
more  than  I  ever  loved  any  other  being  of  earth. 
Thus  you  see  God  has  richly  provided  employ- 
ment, comfortable  support,  and  probably  more 
enjoyment  than  I  could  have  had  in  almost  any 
other  situation. 

You  recollect,  my  dear  C.,  something  of  my 
uniform  good  health.  Up  to  the  present  time  I 
have  enjoyed  an  usual  share  of  that  blessing. 
The  first  five  years  in  our  family,  I  was  obliged 
to  keep  myself  so  constantly  fatigued  for  the 
want  of  suitable  help,  that  I  suffered  much  for 
the  time  being  ;  but  when  I  was  not  obliged  to 
labor  so  hard,  found  my  constitution  unimpaired. 
My  general  health  is  now  good,  but  for  three 
years  past  I  have  suffered  from  a  local  disease, 
similar  to  my  mother's,  and  am  now  under  a 
course  of  treatment  for  it.  *  *  *  * 

I  will  close  this  long  letter  with  acknowledg- 
ing the  great  goodness  of  my  God  and  Saviour 
towards  me  as  a  sinner  —  I  hope  a  renewed 
sinner.  You  know  I  have  long  professed  to 


yU  ,  MEMOIR    OF 

be  a  disciple  of  Christ.  I  can  now  look  back 
over  the  twenty-four  years  since  I  united  with 
the  church,  and  see  many  green  spots,  where  I 
have  been  brought  to  feel  that  I  knew  some- 
thing of  the  import  of  perfect  peace,  but  have 
generally  felt  that  my  religion  was  rather  spe- 
culative and  intellectual,  than  spiritual.  I  have 
always  loved  the  doctrine  of  a  universal  and 
particular  Providence ;  and  in  a  multitude  of 
dark  and  trying  circumstances  incident  to  my 
peculiar  situation,  I  have  rejoiced  that  I  could 
stand  upon  the  immovable  rock,  and  say, 
"  Thou,  O  God,  doest  it,  therefore  I  should  be 
dumb,  and  open  not  my  mouth."  Yet  much 
of  the  time,  I  have  been  worldly  in  my  affec- 
tions. The  fact  is,  I  have  not  had  enough  of 
Christ  in  my  religion,  to  keep  it  warm  and 
active.  But  let  me  say  to  the  praise  of  free, 
rich,  sovereign  grace,  that  the  blessed  Saviour 
has,  for  a  few  years  past,  been  gradually  leading 
me  to  a  better  acquaintance  with  himself.  I 
think  I  am  not  deceived  in  believing  that  I 
know  something  of  his  precious  love.  I  would 
love  to  tell  you  that  I  have  found  sustaining 
efficacy,  in  view  of  suffering  and  death,  in  the 
precious  name  of  Christ  my  Saviour.  Yes, 
precious  name,  God,  Man,  Mediator,  but  I  can- 
not write  more  now. 


HARRIET    WARE.  91 

PROVIDENCE,  AUGUST  26,  1842. 
I  WANT  to  tell  you,  but  I  cannot,  how  infi- 
nitely good  God  has  been  to  me.  I  should 
love  to  tell  you  how  exceedingly  precious  Christ 
has  appeared  to  me.  I  have  always  believed  in 
Him  as  having  died  for  sin  eighteen  hundred 
years  ago,  and  gone  away  into  heaven ;  and 
sometimes  have  rejoiced  in  him  as  an  Interces- 
sor at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father.  But  this 
is  not  the  blessedness  of  knowing  him  as  a 
present  Saviour.  I  dare  not  say  much,  but  if 
I  am  not  deceived,  I  have  been  enabled  to  pray 
that  you  and  myself,  with  all  the  redeemed,  may 
have  the  daily  experience  of  the  fifteenth  chapter 
of  John.  You  will  smile,  I  suppose,  if  I  quote 

from  Mr. ,  but  he  one  day  said  to  me  that 

there  were  three  baptisms  ;  first,  being  baptized 
unto  Moses  in  the  cloud ;  next,  John's  baptism 
unto  repentance  ;  and  lastly,  there  was  such  a 
thing  as  being  baptized  unto  Christ.  I  have 
certainly  had  the  first,  I  believe  the  second,  and 
I  do  now  desire,  at  least,  to  be  baptized  into  the 
fullness  of  Christ.  Dear  M.,  take  hold  of  the 
strength  of  the  omnipotent  Saviour.  Rejoice 
exceedingly,  that  you  may  consecrate  your 
entire  being  to  Him  who  died  for  us,  that  from 
henceforth  we  should  not  live  unto  ourselves. 


92  MEMOIR   OF 

SALEM,  APRIL  4,  1845. 

I  THINK  I  love  to  feel  that  all  is  perfectly 
understood  by  Him,  who  sees  the  end  from 
the  beginning.  I  know  most  assuredly,  and  if 
I  am  not  deceived,  I  rejoice  in  the  assurance, 
that  the  holy,  wise  and  good  purposes  of  God 
correspond  in  perfect  exactness  with  his  provi- 
dential dealings  with  me.  The  hair  and  the 
sparrow  in  my  affairs  will  not  be  regarded  with 
indifference  by  my  Father  God.  O !  the  con- 
descension of  our  heavenly  Father.  Let  those 
who  will,  sweep  the  purposes  of  God  and  his 
universal  providence  from,  —  from  what  ?  — 
from  their  creeds  and  their  hearts ;  for  from 
the  immutable,  unerring  Word,  they  cannot.  It 
there  stands  out  in  bold  relief,  a  link  in  the 
golden  chain,  a  precious  link,  which,  if  re- 
moved, would  leave  us  but  a  broken  fragment. 
Dear  Miss  G.,  I  have  had  leisure  to  think,  and  I 
love  to  think  of  that  beautiful,  perfect  system 
of  truth  and  doctrine  revealed  in  the  Bible,  all 
profitable  for  our  instruction  in  righteousness. 
I  think  that  system  is  comprised  in  our  articles 
of  faith.  A  beautiful  and  perfect  whole,  who 
shall  dare  to  lay  his  hand  upon  it,  to  mutilate 
or  deform  it  ?  A  brother  called  on  me,  just 
before  I  left,  and  asked  "If  I  dared  to  stand 


HARRIET    WARE.  93 

alone  against  so  many,  in  whose  wisdom  and 
piety  I  had  so  much  confidence  ?  "  Yes,  unhes- 
itatingly, yes!  I  would  stand  alone  against 
ten  thousand  better  than  myself,  and  in  that 
thing  I  would  be  stronger  than  the  whole  of 
them. 


SALEM,  APRIL  30,  1845. 

YOUR  welcome,  doubly  welcome  letter  was 
received  yesterday,  while  at  brother  E.'s.  I 
would  have  answered  it  the  same  hour  if  I 
could.  I  did  not  think  you  would  write  till 
John  was  away,  and  I  hardly  wished  you  to, 
for  I  could  feel  no  interest  in  any  thing  else, 
neither  could  I  feel  any  interest  in  writing  even 
to  you,  for  I  could  think  best  in  connection 
with  him.  O,  I  feel  so  happy,  that  I  cannot 
keep  from  howling,  as  you  say,  for  gratitude. 
How  delightful  to  think,  that  that  same  Being, 
who  has  from  time  to  time  melted  his  obduracy 
and  warmed  his  heart  with  tender  and  generous 
affections,  and  especially  who  so  signally  mani- 
fested his  goodness  in  every  circumstance  con- 
nected with  his  leaving  us,  has  his  heart  in  his 
hand,  and  can,  and  I  believe  will,  bring  him  to 


94  MEMOIR   OP 

himself.  We  shall,  of  course,  have  very  many 
anxious  hours  about  him,  but  we  will  not  forget 
who  holds  the  winds  in  his  fist,  and  says  to  the 
stormy  billows,  peace,  be  still.  My  dear  E., 
you  will,  won't  you,  speak  a  word  for  the  good- 
ness of  God  in  view  of  his  kind  providence  ? 

Could  the  whole  concern  be  put  into  my 
hands  or  yours,  I  think  I  would  not  be  willing. 
I  do  feel  I  am  in  the  best  of  hands.  The  doc- 
trine of  a  universal  Providence  was  never  more 
precious  to  me  than  now.  I  only  want  to  be 
more  humble,  more  penitent,  more  broken- 
hearted, that  I  may  more  and  more  see  the 
transcendent  excellence,  beauty  and  glory  of 
Christ,  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away  the 
sins  of  the  world.  I  hope  I  have  some  present 
evidence  of  loving  him  as  God,  man,  mediator, 
as  prophet,  priest  and  king  ;  but  know  and  feel 
that  my  spiritual  vision  is  greatly  blinded  by 
reason  of  sin.  It  is  matter  of  almost  constant 
wonder,  that  the  patience  of  infinite  forbearance 
itself  has  not  become  exhausted.  Surely  the 
mercy  of  God  in  Christ  is  infinite  —  infinite 
love,  love  that  loved  us  while  enemies.  I  know 
our  time  for  writing,  or  talking,  or  making  our 
own  calling  and  election  sure,  will  soon  be  over. 
Let  us  improve  the  present. 


HARRIET    WARE.  95 

MAY .  —  You  will  probably  receive  this 

on  board-meeting  day.  Remember  me  very 
affectionately  to  every  member  present.  Tell 
them  I  appreciate  all  their  kindness,  and  love 
to  feel  that  they  will  have  patience  with  my 
long  absence.  I  feel  that  I  am  away  from 
home,  but  my  thoughts  of  home,  and  those 
who,  for  so  many  years,  have  done  so  much  to 
render  it  a.  pleasant  home,  are  among  my  sweet- 
est thoughts  of  earth. 

MAY  30. — I  can  never  think  of  staying  away 
from  home  so  long ;  the  thought  of  it  will  keep 
me  homesick  all  the  time.  I  don't  know  what 
to  do.  I  am  afraid  if  I  should  decide  upon 
such  a  long  campaign,  that  I  should  be  out  of 
patience  myself,  and  think,  after  all,  I  had  been 
foolish ;  and  then  what  should  I  do,  if  the 
board  should  get  out  of  patience  ?  I  can't  expect 
them  to  wait  forever;  and  certainly  I  should 
much  rather  my  life  should  be  shortened  than 
protracted,  if  I  am  not  to  think  of  that  dear 
spot,  with  all  its  loved  associations  as  home.  I 
know  I  am  just  now  very  much  under  the 
impulse  of  feeling,  and  it  rather  seems  to  me  I 
don't  feel  quite  right.  I  have  thought  I  was 
following  the  leadings  of  Providence,  and  was 


96  MEMOIR    OF 

in  the  way  of  my  duty,  and  that  I  was  willing, 
and  should  love  to  put  a  blank  into  the  hand  of 
my  Father  in  heaven,  for  him  to  fill,  just  as  his 
own  wisdom  (not  mine)  and  goodness  should 
direct.  But  really  this  does  not  look  much  like 
it.  I  know  if  I  commit  my  way  to  the  Lord, 
my  goings  will  be  established.  I  know  that,  by 
creation  and  preservation,  I  belong  to  God  as 
his  rightful  property,  and  if  he  has  made  me  his 
by  regeneration  and  adoption,  why  should  I  set 
up  for  myself?  The  Lord  humble  and  forgive 
me  for  my  distrust,  impatience,  and  above  all, 
ingratitude.  If  the  Lord  hath  further  need  of 
me,  with  you,  my  dearest  E.,  in  that  long  loved 
and  cherished  home,  in  the  midst  of  those  I 
love,  yes,  I  can  truly  say,  the  objects  of  my 
warmest  affections,  he  will  certainly  return  me 
to  the  spot,  at  the  very  moment  I  am  needed  ; 
and  if  he  gives  me  the  signal,  very  gladly  will  I 
make  haste. 

JUNE  7. — Now  about  my  coming  home.  It 
seems  to  me  that  I  was  nearer  right  in  my  cal- 
culations than  the  doctor,  for  I  think  I  can  see 
an  improvement  since  I  came  from  Boston  last 
week ;  but  I  guess  the  secret,  after  all,  is  to  be 
willing,  I  mean  more  than  just  willing,  that 


HARRIET   WARE.  97 

God  should  make  his  own  appointments,  instead 
of  our  making  them  for  him.  Let  us  rather 
pray,  that  God  would  not  withdraw  his  hand 
until  this  dispensation  of  providence  has  had 
the  effect  which  it  ought,  and  will  have,  if 
rightly  improved,  upon  both  of  us.  The  Lord 
preserve  me  from  ever  thinking  again  (as  I 
have  often  been  tempted  to  do)  that  he  hath  use 
of  me.  If  a  desire  to  be  useful  has  any  thing 
to  do  with  my  strong  desire  to  be  at  home, 
let  it  satisfy  me  that  God  chooses  I  should 
do  my  duty  in  the  place  and  circumstances 
in  which  he  sees  best  to  keep  me,  and  I  am 
satisfied  this  ought  to  be  very  much  with  my 
own  heart.  The  prayer  of  David,  I  believe, 
ought  to  be  mine.  "  Search  me  and  know  my 
heart ;  "  that  is,  cause  me  to  know  it.  "Cleanse 
thou  me  from  secret  faults."  God  has  some- 
times given  me  great  freedom  in  praying  for 
you  and  our  loved  ones  at  home ;  especially  our 
older  children,  and  the  girls  in  particular.  If  I 
might  constantly  feel  to  plead  with  God  in 
prayer  and  faith,  I  should  think  it  well  worth 
while  to  be  kept  tied  up  for  some  time  longer. 

JUNE  14. — Certainly  we  have  continued  proof 
of  the  kind  interposition  of  Providence  in  be- 
7 


98  MEMOIR   OF 

half  of  our  family,  as  well  as  ourselves.  God 
does  watch  over  us  for  good,  and  we  should  be 
most  ungrateful  not  to  acknowledge  it,  not  in 
in  words  only,  but  in  heart  and  life. 

SUNDAY  EVENING.  —  I  can  hardly  refrain  from 
adding  a  few  lines  to  this  sheet  this  evening. 
Heard  Mr.  Worcester  preach  this  morning  from 
the  text,  "  Every  heart  knoweth  its  own  bitter- 
ness," &c. ;  a  sermon  probably  occasioned  by 
the  death  of  a  young  lady  in  his  parish.  I 
have  seldom  realized  as  vividly  the  sundering 
of  the  dearest  and  sweetest  ties  of  earth ;  and 
the  thought,  that  so  many  that  I  love  with  the 
warmest  affection,  are  giving  no  evidence  of  a 
preparation  for  heaven,  seems  completely  over- 
whelming. 

Dearest  E.,  do  not  your  thoughts  dwell  with 
delightful  interest  upon  the  surpassing  tender- 
ness of  a  Saviour's  love  ?  Think  of  the  height 
and  depth,  and  length  and  breadth,  of  the  love 
of  Christ !  O  no,  we  cannot  begin  to  think ; 
but,  dear  E.,  we  can  see,  that  if  our  sins  were 
a  thousand  to  one,  and  our  hearts  a  thousand 
times  more  hard  and  proud  and  obstinate  than 
they  are,  it  would  not,  all  combined,  form  the 
fraction  of  an  obstacle  in  the  way  of  going  with 


HARRIET    WARE.  99 

all  to  Christ,  to  be  humbled,  subdued,  melted 
and  made  white,  fitted  for  the  exalted  service 
of  God  and  the  Lamb. 

I  suppose  about  this  time  our  dear  children 
are  singing  their  evening  hymn.  I  would  give 
more  to  hear  them  sing  their  hymns  that  they 
usually  sing  on  Sabbath  eve,  than  all  the  music 
I  have  ever  heard  or  ever  shall  in  S.  I  have 
thought,  in  connection  with  their  singing  and 
other  things,  of  dear  little  Margaret.  Have  the 
children  sung  her  hymn  to-day  1  I  seem  to 
know  she  sings  it  now,  "  in  sweeter  notes  than 
angels  use."  If  you  are  not  here  next  Sabbath, 
let  me  feel  that  at  half  past  six  o'clock,  P.  M. 
our  children  will  sing  Margaret's  hymn. 


SALEM,  JULY  28. 

I  HOPE  you  have  not  been  anxious  about  me 
on  account  of  a  little  delay.  I  know  you  are 
too  anxious,  and  wish  you  would  try  to  remem- 
ber that  you  and  I,  with  all  we  most  dearly 
love,  are  just  as  much  the  objects  of  the  kind 
care  of  our  Heavenly  Father,  as  if  he  had  none 
but  us  to  care  for. 


100 


MEMOIR    OF 


SALEM,  MAY  5,  1845. 

AND  now  let  me  say  a  word,  which  I  wish 
may  become  one  pleasant  subject  of  our  daily 
thoughts,  and  that  it  may  have  its  proper  influ- 
ence over  the  remnant  of  our  lives.  It  is  that 
we  both  familiarize  ourselves  with  the  subject 
of  death.  Not  of  death  in  general,  but  of  our 
individual  separation  from  this  world,  and  en- 
trance into  another.  We  both  well  know  this 
subject  can  be  cheerful,  only  as  we  look  at  it 
in  connection  with  Christ,  God,  Man,  Mediator. 

I  am  a  miracle  of  wonder  to  myself.  I  won- 
der how  I  can  see  all  this,  (as  I  seem  to  see  it, 
through  a  glass,  very  darkly  indeed,)  and  riot 
feel  my  whole  soul  on  fire.  Yet  this  is  so  far 
from  being  the  case,  that  I  fear  exceedingly  lest 
I  should  become  as  worldly  as  ever.  I  need  an 
overcoming,  abiding  faith  in  Christ,  and  with- 
out it  I  know  I  can  do  nothing.  I  think  my 
hold  on  life  is  greatly  loosened,  if  not  broken. 

I  desire  that  we  both  may  be  very  thankful 
for  these  gentle,  yet  emphatic  warnings,  of  what 
at  farthest  cannot  be  far  from  me.  Surely  I  can- 
not be  taken  by  surprise,  without  criminal  for- 
getfulness  on  my  own  part.  Dearest,  shall  we 
not  learn  to  contemplate  death  as  our  friend  and 
restorer,  and  not  as  an  enemy  to  be  feared  ? 


HARRIET    WARE.  101 

SALEM,  AUGUST  3,  1845. 

IT  will  be  board-meeting  Tuesday.  Give  my 
best  love  to  the  ladies  of  the  board  ;  I  shall 
think  of  them  at  that  hour,  and  if  they  have  a 
petition  to  offer  for  me,  be  it  that  I  may  be  more 
like  Christ.  It  has  been  among  my  sweetest 
thoughts,  that  my  God  and  Saviour  was  truly 
man.  That  he,  not  only  as  God,  knew  our 
frailty  and  infirmities,  but,  as  man,  has  known 
them  by  experience.  There  is  sustaining  effi- 
cacy in  full  belief  that  the  Saviour  sympathizes 
with  us  in  our  deepest  sufferings  j  that  he  is 
touched  with  the  feelings  of  our  infirmities,  as 
nothing  short  of  infinite  tenderness  and  love, 
united  with  experience,  could  do.  Infinite  in- 
deed is  that  love,  that  would  stoop  from  the 
highest  throne  in  heaven,  and,  for  the  sake  of 
vile  creatures  like  us,  take  upon  himself  a  body 
like  ours,  and  after  enduring  every  variety  of 
suffering,  offer  it,  once  for  all,  a  sacrifice  for  our 
sins,  that  God  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier 
of  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus. 


WELLS,  SEPT.  1,  1845. 

THINK  of  the  amazing  sacrifice   of  leaving 
his  throne,  being  born  of  a  woman,  in  a  man- 


102  MEMOIR    OF 

ger,  a  human  body,  and  rational  soul,  heir  to 
every  variety  of  physical  and  mental  suffer- 
ing, in  his  whole  life  fulfilling  the  perfect  law  of 
love  to  God  and  man,  ever  doing  good  to  the 
souls  and  bodies  of  men,  sympathizing  with  the 
afflicted,  so  gentle  and  kind  that  even  little 
children  were  not  afraid  to  approach  him.  O, 
what  infinite  condescension!  He  knew  our 
ignorance,  weakness,  and  blindness,  and  how 
difficult  it  is,  in  our  fallen  state,  to  form  right 
conceptions  of  the  great  God ;  and  therefore,  in 
our  own  form  and  nature,  he  manifested  the  per- 
fect mind  and  spirit  of  Him,  who  says  He  is 
Love.  And  all  this  was  but  a  prelude  to  his 
dying  agony,  and  dying  prayer.  And  then 
think  of  both  the  promise  and  fulfilment  of  the 
spirit,  to  all  who  would  ask  for  its  influences. 
This  kind  and  gentle  spirit  does  take  the  things 
of  Christ,  and  show  them  to  all  who  will  see 
Jesus.  And  now  the  merciful  assurance,  that 
he  not  only  lives  a  merciful  High  Priest,  to 
sympathize  with  the  afflicted,  support  the  weak 
and  trembling,  and  succor  the  tempted,  but  is  an 
all-prevalent  Intercessor  for  all  who  will  comiuit 
their  cause  to  him. 


HARRIET    WARE.  103 

WELLS,  SEPT.  5,  1845. 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND  —  How  much  I  love  you, 
and  thank  you  too,  for  your  generosity  and 
kindness,  bestowed  upon  a  poor,  worthless,  in- 
efficient friend,  sinful,  liable  to  change,  and  who 
at  best,  may  and  will  drop  out  of  your  sight  at 
any  moment  when  this  same  God  and  Saviour, 
whom  you  neglect,  shall  speak  the  word.  The 
same  kind  of  affection  and  confidence  you  be- 
stow upon  one  so  unworthy,  just  transfer  to 
Him,  and  all  will  be  well.  You  will  not  love 
me  the  less,  nor  I  you.  What  you  say  of  his 
being  beyond  the  utmost  stretch  of  your  dark 

vision,  is  all  right.  But,  dear ,  you  must 

neither  be  afraid  to  sit  humbly  at  his  feet,  or 
lie  quietly  in  his  arms.  If  you  can't  see,  he 
can,  and  that  is  enough.  Just  trust  yourself 
to  him,  and  you  have  nothing  to  fear.  I  have 
just  read  a  beautiful  sentiment  in  Phillips's 
"Love  of  the  Spirit,"  viz.  "That  the  spirit 
does  not  testify  of  itself,  nor  of  you,  but  of 
Christ." 

Your  kind  advice  for  me  to  remain,  might 
tempt  me,  but  I  want  to  be  at  home  too  much 
to  be  tempted  even  by  that.  And  then  I  do  not 
need  farther  quiet  to  restore  health,  for  I  think 
it  is  restored ;  not  but  what  I  think  I  have 


104  MEMOIR   OF 

been  deceived  about  my  strength,  and  I  now 
think  Monday  would  have  been  a  little  too 
soon ;  but  next  Monday  will  be  exactly  right. 
And  then,  again,  what  do  you  think  the  Lord 
has  been  so  signally  gracious  to  me,  both  physi- 
cally, socially,  and  spiritually,  for  ?  Is  it  to  be 
set  up  for  all  my  friends  to  pay  tribute  to,  that 
I  may  enjoy  myself;  or  to  come,  or  rather  go  to 
my  long  loved  and  cherished  home,  to  live  with 
you  and  the  dear  children  whom  I  love  as  my 
own  life  ? 

And  now,  a  word  for  dear  little  M.  I  am 
afraid,  if  it  is  not  all  over  with  her  now,  it  will 
be  before  I  get  home.  Do  you  tell  her  any  thing 
about  the  Saviour,  and  how  she  must  give  her- 
self to  him,  and  how  he  will  love  to  receive 
and  bless  her,  and  make  her  happy  if  she  will  ? 

Dear  little  R ,  I  love  her  for  the  associa- 
tions ;  but  how  thankful  should  we  be  that 
she  is  removed  beyond  the  reach  of  the  chilling 
blasts  of  this  cold  world,  or  any  of  the  debasing 
influences  of  earth. 

I  am  more  and  more  satisfied,  I  am  certain, 
that  there  is  a  meaning  in  the  promises  of  God, 
and  Christ,  in  the  assurances  of  his  love  and 
faithfulness,  that  we  shall  find  has  indeed  been 
but  poorly  expressed,  even  in  the  language  of 


HARRIET    WARE.  105 

the  Bible,  and  more  poorly  understood,  and  yet 
more  poorly  believed  and  trusted.  It  is  not 
so  strange,  that  we  should  be  tempted  to  doubt 
whether  we  can  be  loved  by  a  Being  of  infinite 
purity ;  and  it  would  seem  that  to  meet  those 
reasonable  doubts,  he  has  not  only  multiplied 
assurances  to  an  almost  infinite  extent,  but  has 
given  pledges  and  earnests,  as  though  he  would 
not  require  credit  to  be  given  to  simple  testi- 
mony of  truth  itself.  Strange  that  He  should 
love  us,  but  infinitely  stranger  that  we  do  not 
love  Him,  though  our  own  souls  should  sink  to 
ruin  as  we  deserve.  Truly  it  is  said,  God  is  love. 
O,  I  seem  to  know,  I  am  not  mistaken  in  this, 
that  "  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died 
for  us." 

"Amazing  pity,  grace  unknown,  and  love  beyond  degree." 


PROVIDENCE,  FEB.  7,  1846. 

IT  is  my  candid  opinion  that  I  am  henceforth 
to  regard  myself  as  a  minute  man,  liable  to  be 
called  for  at  a  very  short  notice.  Dear  M.,  I 
cannot  write  as  would  be  natural  to  a  loved  one, 
without  being  much  overcome,  my  nerves  are 
so  weak.  But  we  will  be  thankful  that  I  can 


106  MEMOIR   OF 

think,  and  talk  and  write  with  calmness  and 
pleasure,  of  a  beautiful  city  but  just  before 
us,  "  that  hath  foundations,  whose  builder  and 
maker  is  God,"  our  God,  in  whom  we  confi- 
dently trust.  I  have  never  felt  as  much  elated 
as  some  of  whom  I  have  read  and  heard,  but 
thanks,  everlasting  thanks,  to  free,  rich,  sove- 
reign grace,  that  I  have  enjoyed  a  calm,  steady 
peace,  an  unshaken  confidence  in  the  perfec- 
tions of  God.  I  have  been  able  to  contemplate 
with  delightful  interest,  that  system  of  old- 
fashioned  doctrines,  to  which  we  used  to  listen 
in  our  younger  years,  and  they  seem  to  flow  as 
naturally  from  the  perfections  of  God,  as  water 
from  a  spring. 

On  this  point,  let  me  ever  be  understood  as 
placing  Christ  where  divine  sovereignty  used 
to  be  placed  in  our  early  instructions.  I  love  to 
look  back  upon  this  pleasant  world,  with  which 
I  thought  I  had  done.  At  no  hour  of  my  life 
did  I  ever  more  fully  believe  than  now,  that 
"  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  thy  glory."  I  love 
my  long-loved  friend,  —  in  short,  I  love  to  live ; 
and  if  one's  sympathies  and  interests  are  with 
Christ,  I  know  not  why  an  angel  might  not 
covet  the  facilities  that  are  every  where  pre- 
sented for  doing  good. 


HARRIET    WARE.  107 

WESTERLY,  Nov.  26,  1846. 

ON  this  thanksgiving  morning,  I  hardly  know 
how  to  enjoy  being  separated  from  my  own 
dear  home.  So  wonderful  has  been  the  good- 
ness of  God  towards  us  as  a  family,  and  towards 
me  in  particular,  the  past  year,  that  in  the  midst 
of  our  family  group,  I  would  most  love  to 
acknowledge  our  obligation  of  gratitude,  and 
devotion  of  heart  and  life  to  the  God  that  made 
us  and  the  Saviour  that  redeemed  us.  Three 
that  we  loved,  and  who  shared  in  this  last 
annual  festival  with  us,  are  now  entered  upon 
their  unchanging  state,  and  with  the  dear  babe 
we  so  tenderly  loved,  are  very  distinctly  in  my 
mind  and  heart.  I  cannot  save  myself  the 
query,  Who  will  be  among  the  missing  at  our 
next  thanksgiving  ?  How  very  desirable  that 
we  should  all  feel  the  importance  of  being  in 
preparation  ourselves,  and  doing  all  we  can, 
that  others  should  be  prepared  to  join  in  the 
unceasing  song  of  praise  to  the  Lamb  that  was 
slain,  that  we  might  live.  I  wonder  not  half  as 
much  at  the  stupidity  of  all  the  world  beside,  as 
at  my  own  wordly  spirit.  When  shall  I  learn 
to  "  overcome  the  world  ? " 

I  find  my  old  friends  a  little  scattered,  and 
am  certainly  humbled  at  the  deep  feeling  they 


108  MEMOIR   OF 

manifest.  They  say  they  never  expected  to  see 
me  again,  and  seem  to  feel  that  all  who  were 
ever  my  friends  or  pupils,  will  feel  grieved  and 
wounded,  if  I  do  not,  at  least,  give  them  the 
opportunity  to  come  where  I  may  be  found. 
Nobody  seems  to  expect  that  I  shall  take  much 
trouble  to  go  anywhere,  but  they  will  go  any- 
where to  see  me.  I,  of  course,  feel  that  this 
is  my  last  visit,  and  if  I  leave  Hopkinton  next 
week,  I  shall  do  well. 


THE  first  of  the  following  notices  of  Miss 
Ware's  last  illness,  has  been  furnished  by  a  lady 
who  had  been  for  many  years  her  constant  asso- 
ciate and  intimate  friend  ;  and  the  second  by 
Amos  C.  Barstow,  Esq.,  who  saw  her  frequently 
during  her  illness : 

The  dangerous  illness  with  which  Miss  Ware 
was  afflicted,  two  years  previous  to  her  decease, 
had  impressed  her  with  the  abiding  conviction, 
that  death  could  not  be  far  from  her.  She  was, 
from  that  period,  constantly  preparing  for  a  sum- 
mons to  that  world  in  which  she  had  laid  up 
such  rich  treasures.  She  considered  the  pro- 
longing of  her  life,  after  that  critical  period,  as 


HARRIET    WARE.  109 

an  answer  to  prayer.  She  had,  at  that  time,  an 
anxious  desire  to  live  to  see  the  accomplishment 
of  a  cherished  plan  in  regard  to  the  institution, 
in  whose  interests  her  whole  heart  had  entered. 
The  building  was  too  contracted  and  inconve- 
nient, for  the  well-being  of  the  large  family  it 
was  required  to  contain.  To  have  it  enlarged, 
with  ample  accommodations  for  bathing,  and  a 
convenient  school-room,  was  her  earnest  desire. 
A  generous  public  readily  acceded  to  it,  and  it 
had  scarcely  been  completed,  ere  its  noble- 
minded  projector  was  again  confined  to  her 
own  apartment,  which  she  never  left,  till  she 
was  removed  from  it  to  the  repose  of  the  grave. 
The  last  time  she  met  with  the  family,  was 
on  a  Sabbath  afternoon,  seven  weeks  previous 
to  her  decease.  It  was  her  custom,  at  that  time, 
to  give  the  children  instruction  on  religious  sub- 
jects. They  had  been  studying  the  Assembly's 
Catechism,  and  the  topic  of  consideration  that 
day  was  the  doctrine  of  election,  one  peculiarly 
precious  to  her.  She  gave  a  simple  explanation 
of  it  to  the  little  group,  and  then,  with  great 
tenderness  and  earnestness,  addressed  the  older 
ones,  urging  them  now  to  make  their  "  calling 
and  election  sure."  It  was  a  most  solemn  and 
precious  season,  although  we  did  not  anticipate 


110  MEMOIR   OF 

it  would  be  the  last  time  we  thus  should  meet. 
She  did  not  suffer  much  pain  until  the  last  days 
of  her  life.  Her  mind  was  clear  and  active  till 
the  close.  She  requested  to  have  her  grave 
clothes  purchased,  and  sent  for  a  person  to  come 
and  sit  in  her  room  while  they  were  made. 
Every  arrangement  for  the  interests  of  the 
family,  that  it  was  in  her  power  to  make,  was 
calmly  and  intelligently  imparted  to  the  ladies 
of  the  board  who  saw  her.  She  had  so  per- 
fectly prepared  for  her  anticipated  decease,  that 
she  seemed  in  these  last  weeks  of  her  life  to 
have  but  little  to  do,  but  patiently  await  the 
event.  When  asked  if  she  had  no  counsels  to 
give  to  the  older  members  of  the  family,  she 
replied,  "  I  believe  I  have  said  all  that  I  could 
to  them." 

She  had  but  one  anxiety  to  disturb  her  perfect 
peace  of  mind,  and  that  was,  the  provision  of  a 
home  for  the  little  girl  she  had  adopted,  and 
when  a  letter  arrived  from  a  beloved  friend, 
assenting  to  her  request  to  receive  her  into  her 
family,  she  seemed  to  feel  that  every  wish  was 
gratified.  Her  constant  theme  was  the  good- 
ness of  God ;  God  had  been  so  good  to  her  in 
permitting  her  to  see  all  her  plans  completed, 
was  the  constantly  recurring  thought. 


HAKRIET    WARE.  Ill 

She  had  suffered  much  anxiety  in  relation  to 
the  form  her  disease  might  assume,  lest  she 
should  become  repulsive  to  her  friends ;  and  on 
finding  that^  it  was  to  be  wholly  of  an  internal 
character,  such  was  the  relief  to  her  mind,  that 
her  gratitude  for  the  kindness  of  her  Heavenly 
Father,  in  thus  dissipating  her  fears,  seemed 
unbounded.  It  was  manifested  in  every  word, 
in  every  look.  It  did  indeed  seem  as  if  her 
every  prayer  was  answered.  The  14th,  15th, 
and  16th  chapters  of  John,  were  the  favorite 
portions  of  Scripture  which  she  often  wished  to 
hear  when  she  was  too  feeble  to  peruse  them 
herself. 

The  last  day  was  one  of  much  suffering ;  she 
frequently  wished  to  be  moved,  but  forbore 
manifesting  the  desire,  for  fear  of  injuring  her 
friends  by  receiving  their  aid  in  lifting  her. 
Her  thoughts  were,  as  ever,  of  others  more  than 
of  herself. 

I  cannot  venture,  however,  to  give  any  farther 
account  of  the  last  hours  of  my  friend,  although 
every  moment  of  them  is  indelibly  engraved  on 
my  memory.  Tfiere  are  others,  who  I  doubt 
not  will  give  a  faithful  record  of  them.  My 
last  interview  with  Miss  Ware  was  but  a  few 
days  before  her  death,  I  found  her  in  a  state 


112  MEMOIR   OF 

of  great  bodily  weakness.  She  was  sitting  in 
an  arm-chair,  in  a  reclining  posture,  which  was 
about  the  only  one  which  the  nature  of  her 
maladies  would  allow  her  to  take. 

All  who  ever  made  her  acquaintance,  were 
doubtless  more  or  less  impressed  with  the 
thought,  •that  she  was  a  remarkable  woman ; 
but  here,  peculiarly,  in  this  "  chamber  where 
she  met  her  fate,"  all  who  were  admitted  were 
deeply  impressed  with  the  fact,  that  she  was  a 
remarkable  Christian.  Her  intimate  friends  did 
not  need  the  testimony  of  that  strong  and  abid- 
ing faith  in  God,  which  was  drawn  from  her 
closing  hours.  She  had  borne  this  testimony 
amid  life's  busiest  scenes,  and  in  its  most  active 
duties.  But  if  the  evidence  before  seemed  full 
and  satisfactory,  now,  to  me,  it  seemed  complete, 
overwhelming.  She  was  about  to  enter  the 
"  dark  valley."  The  grave  stood  open  before 
her,  and  the  vesture,  in  which  she  was  to  enter 
it,  was  all  prepared. 

She  spoke  to  me  "  of  the  decease  which  she 
should  accomplish,"  with  the  greatest  compo- 
sure and  resignation.  "  I  feel,"  said  she,  "  that 
my  work  on  earth  is  done.  I  have  been  brought 
very  low  under  the  power  of  disease  before  this, 
but  never  before  could  I  feel  that  my  hour  had 


HARRIET    WARE.  113 

come.  There  was  always  some  object  to  be 
accomplished,  which  lay  near  my  heart,  and 
seemed  to  demand  my  efforts.  But  now  I  feel 
that  all  my  work  is  done.  God  has  been  very 
kind,  to  spare  me  until  every  earthly  wish  and 
desire  is  satisfied.  This  house  was  formerly 
too  strait  for  us,  and  I  longed  for  just  such  an 
enlargement  as  has  recently  been  made.  Now, 
it  is  just  as  I  would  have  it,  commodious,  com- 
fortable, convenient.  Then  again,  I  am  at 
home,  surrounded  by  the  dear  objects  of  my 
affection,  and  enabled  to  give  them  my  parting 
counsels,  and  blessing." 

Here  she  enlarged  upon  several  matters  per- 
taining to  the  family,  with  much  satisfaction. 
She  spoke,  also,  of  the  Zion  of  God  on  earth, 
and  her  relations  thereto ;  naming  several  mat- 
ters, in  reference  to  which  she  had  felt  a  strong 
concern,  which  now  seemed  settled  just  as  she 
could  desire.  In  fact  there  was  no  earthly 
thing,  on  which  she  had  of  late  set  her  heart, 
but  what  God  had  allowed  her  to  live  to 
see  accomplished.  She  knew  not  why  it  was. 
She  was  an  unprofitable  servant,  and  deserved 
not  the  least  favor,  and  yet  her  cup  of  blessing 
was  filled  to  the  brim.  Then  turning  her  eyes, 
now  glistening  with  deep  emotion,  toward 
8 


114  MEMOIR   OF 

heaven,  she  blessed  the  worthy  name  of  Jesus, 
for  whose  sake,  and  through  whose  blood,  she 
had  become  a  partaker  of  these  blessings. 

Never  did  I  see  her  so  calm  and  serene,  never 
so  heavenly  and  sublime.  Under  similar  cir- 
cumstances, with  most  Christians,  it  might  have 
been  my  duty  to  soothe,  cheer,  strengthen  or 
comfort  the  soul  in  this  hour  of  trial.  But  with 
her  nothing  like  this  was  needed.  I  seemed  as 
in  some  heavenly  presence,  and  could  only  sit 
and  listen  to  the  low  and  gentle,  yet  distinct 
breathings  of  a  soul  already  pinioned  for  the 
skies.  Her  mind  was  remarkably  clear,  and  the 
facility  with  which  she  turned  from  one  subject 
to  another,  until  she  had  finished  all  that  she 
had  to  say  to  me,  (and  it  seemed  as  much  as  her 
exhausted  nature  would  allow,)  was  wonderful. 
Her  friendly  counsels  to  myself  in  regard  to 
personal  piety,  enforced  by  her  own  reflections 
upon  her  own  past  life,  while  now  in  full  view 
of  death,  I  trust  will  never  be  forgotten.  I 
listened,  wondered  and  admired.  Truly  "the 
chamber  where  the  good  man  meets  his  fate,  is 
privileged  above  the  common  walks  of  virtuous 
life,  near  to  the  gates  of  heaven."  I  prayed 
with  her,  and  rising  to  depart,  took  her  emaci- 
ated hand  in  mine.  As  I  gazed  for  the  last  time 


HARRIET    WARE.  115 

on  that  strikingly  intelligent  and  benevolent 
countenance,  now  irradiated  with  beams  from  a 
better  world,  my  emotions  choked  the  utterance 
of  a  last  farewell,  and  I  turned  away,  desiring 
that  my  last  end  might  be  like  hers. 


I  AM  happy  at  the  close  of  this  brief  memoir, 
to  introduce  the  following  letter  from  Amos 
Perry,  Esq.,  the  highly  esteemed  principal  of 
one  of  the  grammar  schools  of  this  city.  Mr. 
Perry  residing  in  the  vicinity  of  the  house  of 
the  Children's  Friend  Society,  and  being  deeply 
interested  in  the  welfare  of  the  institution,  was 
often  able,  by  his  counsel  and  influence,  to  ren- 
der important  aid  to  Miss  Ware  and  her  asso- 
ciates. During  the  latter  part  of  her  life, 
especially,  he  saw  her  very  frequently,  and,  at 
the  request  of  some  of  the  members  of  the 
board,  has  kindly  consented  to  furnish  the 
following  interesting  communication. 

PROVIDENCE,  FEB.  28,  1849. 

DEAR  SIR  —  I  take  pleasure  in  giving  you 
my  view  of  Miss  Ware's  character,  and  in 
stating  such  anecdotes  and  incidents  within  my 
knowledge,  as  may  serve  to  illustrate  it. 


116  MEMOIR    OF 

I  received  from  Miss  Ware,  in  familiar  con- 
versation, at  different  times,  detached  accounts 
of  her  early  days.  They  are  instructive,  as  in- 
dicating the  way  in  which  her  character  was 
formed.  Her  parents  were  Puritanic  in  their 
habits,  and  modes  of  thought  and  action.  They 
exercised  a  strict  and  watchful  discipline  over 
their  children.  Luxury  and  effeminacy  met 
with  poor  encouragement  within  their  door. 
Industry,  economy,  sobriety  and  order,  were 
fostered  with  religious  care.  Their  children 
had  the  benefit  of  the  district  school  as  it  then 
was,  taught  three  months  in  the  summer  by 
a  female,  and  three  in  the  winter  by  a  male 
teacher. 

The  germs  of  the  future  Harriet  Ware  were 
at  an  early  day  visible.  The  girl  showed  the 
woman  she  aspired  to  be.  She  entered  with  a 
generous  enthusiasm  into  whatever  engaged  her 
attention,  whether  study,  work  or  play.  Her 
character  was  of  natural  growth.  Her  devel- 
opments were  regular  and  progressive.  She 
formed  habits,  and  adopted  principles,  whose 
influence  and  power  were  more  fully  exhibited 
in  her  later  years.  She  taxed  her  ingenuity, 
and,  by  the  exercise  of  patience  and  persever- 
ance, prepared  herself  to  overcome  obstacles 


HARRIET    WARE.  117 

and  rise  above  discouragements.  The  great 
secret  of  her  success  in  life,  if  secret  it  may  be 
called,  was  her  reserved  energy.  She  aimed  to 
put  herself  in  readiness  to  meet  any  emergency. 
Instead  of  slumbering  till  the  bridegroom  came, 
she  laid  in  store  her  oil,  and  could  not  be  taken 
by  surprise.  Endowed  with  solid,  rather  than 
brilliant  powers,  she  could  not  make  satisfactory 
improvement,  while  attending  school,  without 
continued  and  earnest  effort.  This  effort  she 
put  forth  at  the  regular  hours  of  study,  and 
when  all  nature  was  hushed  in  repose.  At 
twelve  and  one  o'clock  at  night,  Harriet  might 
frequently  be  seen  stealthily  poring  over  her 
lessons  by  the  dim  light  of  a  pine  bough  or 
of  birch  bark,  which  she  had  laid  aside  for  this 
purpose. 

I  have  heard  her  repeatedly  express  her  grati- 
tude for  the  restraints  and  wholesome  influences 
of  the  home  and  the  school.  For  these  insti- 
tutions she  ever  cherished  the  most  sacred 
regard.  In  them  she  learned  those  lessons  of 
submission  and  quiet  duty,  which  made  her 
submission  to  God  and  divine  truth  the  more 
easy  and  natural.  Her  various  home  and  school 
studies  and  exercises,  helped  to  prepare  her  for 
the  sublimer  studies  and  exercises  of  the  spiritual 


118  MEMOIR    OF 

kingdom.  Looking  upon  the  divine  works,  ena- 
bled her  to  look  with  the  more  interest  and 
pleasure  upon  the  divine  hand  and  character. 
God  was  revealed  to  her  awe-struck  soul  in  all 
his  majesty,  power,  and  goodness.  She  who 
had  before  viewed  herself  chiefly  in  her  rela- 
tions to  her  parents,  teachers,  and  friends,  saw 
herself  related  to  a  higher  Parent,  a  higher 
Teacher,  and  a  higher  Friend.  She  bowed  in 
submission,  and  sought  instruction  at  the  heav- 
enly throne.  Like  Mary  of  old,  she  sat  at  the 
feet  of  Jesus,  and  learned  of  him.  Prayer  was 
the  attitude  of  her  soul,  and  Christ  was  her 
song.  Though  not  called,  like  Samuel,  to  a 
peculiar,  ceremonial  service,  she  received  at 
one  period  of  her  life  (I  believe  at  this),  an 
indefinite,  indescribable  impression  that  she  had 
a  peculiar  mission  to  perform.  She  understood 
not  what  this  mission  was.  It  might  be  to  carry 
the  Gospel  to  heathen  lands.  She  cherished 
this  feeling  as  a  premonition  of  her  destiny,  and 
it  was  not  without  influence  on  her  life.  She 
had,  however,  a  definite  aim,  which  was  to  be 
useful.  When  her  way  was  plain,  she  earnestly 
pressed  forward  in  it,  and  when  it  was  dark, 
she  still  moved  on,  trusting  to  the  leadings  of 
God's  providence. 


HARRIET    WARE.  119 

An  anecdote  will  here  serve  to  illustrate  the 
practical  character  and  tact  which  she  early  ex- 
hibited, and  for  which  she  was  in  later  times 
distinguished.  The  human  hand  then  per- 
formed much  labor  which  is  now  committed  to 
the  machine.  Harriet  threw  the  shuttle,  and 
wove  as  expeditiously  as  the  most  skilful,  while 
her  sisters,  for  whose  habits  of  industry  she  felt 
the  utmost  solicitude,  rolled  the  bobbins.  While 
engaged  in  this  employment,  she  would  often 
perform  an  extraordinary  amount  of  labor  to 
bring  out  the  desired  effort  on  their  part. 

Some  years  passed  by,  and  Harriet,  at  an 
early  age,  became  the  teacher  of  a  district 
school.  Here  her  varied  powers  found  ample 
room  for  exercise.  She  strove  to  improve  alike 
herself  and  her  pupils.  She  entered  upon  her 
duties  with  the  same  genial,  resolute  spirit, 
which  characterized  all  her  undertakings.  Find- 
ing in  her  school  a  number  of  large  boys, 
whose  attainments  in  arithmetic  were  quite 
equal  to  her  own,  she  applied  herself  with 
great  assiduity  and  perseverance  to  study.  She 
sought  not  only  to  solve  every  problem  in  ad- 
vance of  her  pupils,  but  to  understand  and  be 
able  to  explain  the  way  in  which  she  arrived 
at  her  results,  and  the  reason  for  each  succes- 


MEMOIR   OF 

sive  step  in  her  process.  Her  success  in  teach- 
ing arithmetic  was  signal ;  and  in  all  her  duties 
as  teacher,  she  earned  and  acquired  a  reputation 
which  is  oftener  desired  than  deserved.  She 
cultivated  the  intellects  of  her  pupils,  without 
neglecting  their  moral  characters.  She  in- 
structed them  in  the  rudiments  of  learning, 
and  at  the  same  time  brought  to  bear  on  their 
hearts  and  lives  all  the  elevating  influences  at 
her  command.  She  breathed  into  them  a  spirit 
and  energy,  and  conferred  upon  them  benefits, 
which  they  are  not  backward  now  in  acknow- 
ledging. 

Being  a  dutiful  child,  Miss  Ware  regarded 
as  intimately  connected  with  being  a  dutiful 
scholar ;  and  being  a  good  scholar,  as  a  step 
towards  becoming  a  good  teacher ;  and  being  a 
good  teacher,  as  an  important  preparation  for 
the  other  duties  and  responsibilities  of  life. 
This  is  a  condensed  view  of  Miss  Ware's  life. 
She  made  the  discharge  of  each  duty  a  prepa- 
ration for  another.  This  was  a  fixed  plan  of 
life  with  her.  This  was  her  idea  of  Christian 
philosophy.  She  attributed  all  her  success, 
such  as  it  was,  to  the  power  of  the  principles 
and  truths  which  she  embraced  and  maintained, 
and  which,  in  their  turn,  embraced  and  sus- 


HARRIET    WARE.  121 

tained  her.  Thus,  in  an  important  light,  she 
considered  herself  an  instrument  in  God's  hands, 
which,  she  allowed,  had  wrought  some  good. 
"  But  to  God  belongs  the  praise ;  for  he  has 
given  me  my  life,  and  been  my  sun  and  shield. 
I  have  but  walked  by  His  strength,  in  the  path 
which  He  has  pointed  out.  The  Lord  reigns. 
Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord."  Such  was 
her  prevailing  spirit  and  tone  of  feeling.  She 
dwelt  with  peculiar  pleasure  and  with  rapturous 
delight  on  the  sovereignty  of  God.  The  words 
of  the  Psalmist  often  served  her  as  a  medium  of 
expression. 

Love  of  truth  was,  I  think,  a  prominent  trait 
in  her  character.  She  sought  the  truth  and  la- 
bored for  its  promotion,  because  she  loved  it, 
and  had  faith  in  its  power  and  efficacy.  Truth 
was  in  her  mind  not  only  the  antithesis  of  error, 
but  the  cure  and  preventive  of  evil.  It  was 
God's  instrument,  by  which  to  effect  good. 
Without  it,  man  is  in  worse  than  midnight  dark- 
ness. With  it,  heaven  and  earth  are  radiant 
with  beauty  and  loveliness.  He  who  has  truth 
will  exhibit  its  power  in  his  life.  It  will  root 
out  evil  affections,  and  destroy  the  strong-holds 
of  Satan.  It  will  bring  back  peace  and  good 
will  among  men.  It  will  make  man  at  one  with 


122 


MEMOIR    OP 


. 

himself.  This  was  her  view  of  God's  inspired, 
all-inspiring  truth,  and  where  she  saw  not  these 
results,  she  did  not  believe  that  the  truth 
existed,  or  she  believed  that  it  was  held  in 
unrighteousness.  She  looked  for  branches  on 
the  sound  and  vigorous  trunk,  and  for  fruit  on 
the  thrifty  branches. 

Lying,  was  her  detestation.  A  thief  she 
could  pity  or  despise  ;  but  a  liar  was  almost 
beneath  her  contempt.  Numerous  were  her 
ways  of  playing  off  her  troublesome  humor  and 
pleasantry  on  those  people,  who,  by  dint  of 
lying  and  equivocation,  overreached  her  in 
trade.  They  must  be  called  into  her  house  the 
next  time  they  came  along,  and  be  seated  where 
sb.e  could  give  them  special  attention.  And 
there  she  kept  them,  (though  they  were  always 
in  a  hurry,)  and  hectored  them,  and  goaded 
them  with  her  keen  satire,  provoking  irony,  and 
touching  appeals  to  their  honor  and  conscience, 
until  they  were  moved  by  despair,  shame,  or 
some  higher  impulse,  to  acknowledge  their  fal- 
sity, and  promise  amendment  in  their  conduct. 
They  usually  earned  all  the  advantage  they 
gained  over  her  by  unfair  dealing.  They  had 
to  endure  the  humiliation  and  mortification  of 
seeing  their  own  little  and  belittling  spirit  and 


HARRIET    WARE.  123 

action  brought  into  striking  contrast  with  her 
elevated  sentiment  and  dignified  bearing. 

Her  manner  of  deliberating  and  of  arriving  at 
definite  decisions,  on  important  questions,  may 
serve  as  an  index  to  her  character.  She  was 
in  the  habit  of  proposing  such  questions  as 
these,  —  "  Is  it  true  ?  Is  it  right  ?  Is  it  duty  ?  " 
She  conversed  freely  with  those  around  her, 
who  might  throw  light  on  her  mind,  and  then 
she  reserved  her  final  decision  for  a  season  of 
prayer  and  communion  with  God.  After  this, 
all  was  over.  Nothing  could  move  her  purpose. 
Her  simple  reply  to  all  objections  offered,  and 
obstacles  pointed  out,  was,  "  The  Lord  has  de- 
cided, and  He  is  wiser  than  man.  This  thing 
can  be  done,  and  it  shall"  When  she  spoke 
thus,  her  friends  learned  to  forbear  alike  per- 
suasion or  entreaty.  This  habit  of  looking  up 
for  light  and  truth  through  her  higher  senti- 
ments, rather  than  down  through  the  mists  and 
shades  of  earth,  became  a  settled  habit  and 
principle  of  her  life.  She  was  in  this  way  ena- 
bled to  correct  some  errors  of  judgment  which 
are  apt  to  arise  from  a  partial  or  unfair  view  of 
things.  Her  atmosphere  was  purer,  and  her 
mental  vision  altogether  strengthened. 

Her  candor  was  in  keeping  with  her  love  of 


124  MEMOIR   OF 

truth.  "  Behold,  an  Israelite  indeed,  in  whom 
is  no  guile,"  may  seem  strong  language  to  apply 
to  her,  but  the  truth  will  bear  it.  If  she  thought 
that  no  good  thing  could  come  out  of  Nazareth, 
she  would  not  hesitate  to  say  it ;  and,  when 
convinced  to  the  contrary,  she  would  with  the 
same  frankness  acknowledge  her  mistake. 

Her  charity  towards  those  who  differed  from 
her  in  opinion,  increased  in  a  striking  manner 
with  her  years.  I  have  conversed  with  her 
many  times  on  this  subject,  and  am  satisfied 
that  she  gave  diligence  to  possess  herself  of  that 
virtue,  which  is  the  crown  of  Christian  virtues, 
and  without  which,  all  other  attainments  are 
nothing  worth.  She  rose  far  above  the  spirit 
of  bigotry  and  intolerance,  and  stood  on  a  high 
point  of  observation.  Her  view  of  religious 
truth  was  greatly  enlarged.  She  saw  clear 
above  and  beyond  the  partition  walls  of  party 
or  sect,  and  made  the  adoption  of  no  peculiarity 
in  her  creed  or  mode  of  thought,  a  final  test  of 
any  man's  Christianity.  She  hailed  light  even 
from  dark  Nazareth,  and  honored  goodness  even 
in  a  despised  Samaritan  ;  arid  she  gave  the 
stamp  of  her  disapprobation  against  vileness  and 
dishonesty  alike  in  Jew  or  Gentile.  While  she 
held  to  the  last  her  own  peculiar  views,  distinct 


HARRIET    WARE.  125 

and  fixed,  she  expressed  herself  as  decidedly 
benefitted  by  intercourse  with  people  of  differ- 
ent views  and  opinions,  who  manifested  the 
spirit  and  power  of  Christ.  She  freely  accorded 
to  others  the  same  privileges  which  she  claimed 
for  herself,  and  received  light  with  the  same 
eagerness  with  which  she  imparted  it.  Her 
spirit  was  liberal  and  ennobling,  and  had  much 
to  do  with  the  success  of  her  measures  in  estab- 
lishing the  "  Children's  Friend  Society,"  and 
with  the  confidence  which  she  enjoyed  in  our 
community.  May  her  mantle  of  charity  rest 
largely  on  her  successors  and  their  associates  in 
philanthropic  effort. 

Miss  Ware  possessed  a  large  amount  of  good 
common  sense,  and  loved  the  true  and  useful 
more  than  the  showy  and  ornamental.  All 
extravagance  in  language,  dress  or  expense,  was 
displeasing  to  her,  though  she  was  painfully 
conscious  of  her  own  tendency  to  commit  im- 
proprieties in  the  first  of  these  ways.  Her 
strong  emotions  tended  to  call  up  corresponding 
expressions ;  and  the  effort  she  put  forth  to 
correct  this,  often  made  her  expression  appear 
somewhat  stiff  and  measured.  She  heartily 
disliked  all  cant  and  frothy  speech  in  the  pulpit 
or  out  of  it ;  at  conference  meetings  or  in  private 


126  MEMOIR    OP 

conversation.  She  detected  at  a  glance  the 
ridiculous  aspect  of  things,  and  generously 
apologized  for  weakness  that  could  not  be 
helped.  People  who  betrayed  their  shallow- 
ness  by  sounding  their  own  trumpet,  did  not 
always  escape  her  sarcasm  and  irony.  She 
had  no  fancy  for  a  religion  or  philanthropy, 
whose  only  manifestation  was  in  words.  She 
looked  for  the  kingdom  of  God  not  in  words 
merely,  but  in  power.  She  had  no  taste  for 
mere  sentimental  talk,  and  could  not  be  caught 
by  wordy  display.  She  prized  words  only  as 
they  were  related  to  things  and  actions.  The 
following  language  may  seem  to  indicate  an 
extreme  tendency,  but  the  symmetry  of  her 
character  was  not  marred."  "  Would  you  think, 
said  she  once  humorously  to  a  friend,  "  that  I 
ever  enjoyed  Hervey's  Meditations?  I  did  read 
in  it  once  with  enthusiastic  interest,  but  I  soon 
laid  it  aside,  and  could  never  read  in  it  again, 
and  I  have  taken  many  such  short  turns  in  my 
life." 

Miss  Ware's  taste  and  disposition,  strongly 
inclined  her  to  the  walks  and  enjoyments  of 
private  life.  She  acted  in  a  public  capacity 
only  from  a  sense  of  duty.  Wordly  honor  and 
renown  had  few  attractions  for  her.  One  inci- 


HARRIET    WARE.  127 

dent  may,  in  some  degree,  illustrate  this  remark. 
Some  year  or  two  before  her  death,  a  gentleman, 
who  had  been  confidentially  made  acquainted 
with  the  main  circumstances  and  incidents  in 
her  life,  took  them,  and,  with  various  colorings 
and  fillings  in,  wove  a  tale  for  general  reading 
among  children.     This  was  published  by  the 
American  Sunday  School  Union,  and  sold  by 
their  various  agencies  throughout  the  country. 
So  that,  to  use  Miss  Ware's  own  phrase,  she 
became,  without  her  own  consent  or  knowledge, 
a  kind  of  common  stock  for  the  country,  with- 
out even  a  share  in  her  own  copyright.     Her 
first  intimation  of  the  fact  was  in  a  letter  from 
a  friend,  rallying  her  on  her  good  fortune  in 
being  able  to  read  her  own  life.     She  sought 
the  book  and  found  it,  even  as  described.     The 
names  introduced  into  the  tale  were  somewhat 
changed  or  abridged.     The  characters  and  inci- 
dents were  substantially  correct,  but  they  were 
just  enough  colored  and  dressed  over  to  spoil 
their  truthfulness.      Miss  Ware's   mortification 
was  extreme.     She  felt  that  this  treatment  was 
cruel.     She  could  better  endure,   she  said,  to 
be    mobbed,    than    be    thus    unceremoniously 
dragged  before  the  public  and  converted  into 
property.      She   could  wipe    off  stains   which 


128  MEMOIR    OF 

might  come  from  the  former,  but  could  not 
reach  those  which  came  from  the  latter.  She 
knew  not  how  to  efface  the  impression  that 
she  had  been  concerned  in  the  publication  of 
her  own  life.  She  forthwith  sought  out  the 
man  who  had  thus  abused  her  confidence,  and 
expressed  her  mind  to  him  in  no  unequivocal 
terms.  The  letter  which  she  addressed  to 
him,  was  replete  with  withering  sarcasm  and 
irony.  She  gave  him,  she  said,  another  chapter 
in  her  character,  that  he  might  insert  it  at  his 
discretion  in  some  forthcoming  volume. 

All  her  ideas  of  happiness  centred  in  the 
quiet,  religious  home,  where  the  heart  expands 
with  kindness,  and  the  sentiments  find  free 
expression.  It  was  here,  too,  in  the  home, 
where  her  virtues  and  graces  shone  with  pecu- 
liar lustre.  He,  who  did  not  know  her  here, 
did  not  know  her  worthily.  She  possessed  a 
fund  of  practical  wisdom  of  incalculable  value. 
She  joined  example  and  precept  hand  in  hand 
in  her  every-day  instruction  and  duty.  She 
understood  how  to  reach  distant  and  important 
results  with  comparative  ease.  All  the  hands 
in  the  family  must  be  employed.  "  One  might 
as  well  be  dead,"  she  was  wont  to  say,  "  as  be 
idle."  Every  thing  was  planned  with  reference 


HARRIET    WARE.  129 

to  a  proposed  end.  Each  member  in  the  family 
must  understand  his  duty,  and  perform  it  at  the 
proper  time.  Her  discipline  was  thorough  and 
effective,  and  her  system  and  method  embraced 
the  minutest  particulars.  The  smallest  fragment 
of  time  must  be  saved.  Each  one  must  be 
employed  in  knitting  when  relieved  from  other 
more  pressing  duties.  The  utmost  economy 
and  neatness  must  be  observed.  Every  thread 
and  scrap  of  cloth  must  be  picked  up  and  care- 
fully laid  aside.  Just  before  her  death,  in  a 
drowsy  mood,  she  said  to  her  nearest  associate 
in  labor,  "  Be  careful  to  make  the  ends  of  your 
cloth  meet,  and  use  it  all  with  economy."  On 
being  told  that  she  was  dreaming,  "  Yes,"  says 
she,  "but  it  is  all  the  same  now  that  I  am 
awake." 

She  seldom  allowed  herself  to  sit  many 
minutes  without  work  of  some  kind  in  her 
hands.  While  entertaining  callers  and  friends, 
knitting  was  her  most  common  employment, 
and,  even  while  intensely  interested  in  conver- 
sation, her  needles  would  be  flying,  as  if  im- 
pelled by  some  unseen  power.  Knitting  work 
came  at  length  to  be  called  her  "coat  of  arms ;" 
and  in  the  daguerreotype  portrait,  a  copy  of 
which  was  taken  only  at  the  urgent  request  of 
9 


130  MEMOIR    OF 

her  friends,  which  is  I  believe  to  accompany 
the  memoir  of  her,  her  knitting  work  has  its 
appropriate  place,  and  may  serve  as  a  fit  emblem 
of  the  homely  virtues  which  she  honored  and 
practised. 

Miss  Ware's  crowning  virtue,  and  noblest 
trait  of  character,  was  her  disinterested,  Chris- 
tian benevolence.  On  this  point,  her  whole 
life  speaks.  Doing  good  was  her  business,  her 
life.  Her  sympathies  were  very  uniformly  in 
the  right  direction.  She  felt  for  the  depressed 
and  down-troddden,  alike  in  North  or  South,  in 
Christian  or  in  heathen  lands.  The  sick  and 
the  afflicted  escaped  not  her  kind  regards.  Her 
heart  was  alive  and  prompt  to  heed  all  the  calls 
of  humanity.  Her  head,  too,  was  akin  to  her 
heart.  Both  of  these  members  faithfully  filled 
their  responsible  offices.  The  one  prompted, 
and  the  other  planned.  The  one  throbbed  with 
kind  emotions,  the  other  suggested  expedients. 
And  here,  it  may  be  observed  that  her  clear, 
penetrating  eye  was  of  incalculable  service  to 
her.  It  often  saved  her  from  the  tricks  of  wily 
impostors.  She  could  see  through  thick  cover- 
ings, and  tell  pretty  nearly  what  was  within. 
One  of  her  scrutinizing  looks  would  very  gen- 
erally distinguish  the  real  from  the  feigned,  and 


HARRIET    WARE.  131 

the  genuine  from  the  spurious.  Her  judgment 
and  discretion  were  to  be  relied  upon,  and  her 
invention  and  contrivance  were  equal  to  any 
exigency. 

She  had,  too,  not  only  a  heart  to  feel,  and  a 
head  to  contrive,  but  a  hand  to  execute.  She 
was  in  these  respects  well  balanced.  She  moved 
mountains  in  her  life,  as  if  they  had  been  mole- 
hills. She  felt  the  desire  to  do,  she  knew  where 
to  put  the  lever,  what  force  to  apply,  and  where 
to  apply  the  force.  She  was  possessed  of  an 
iron  will,  —  neither  brittle  nor  pliant.  Encoun- 
ter it  you  might,  but  bend  or  break  it  by  force, 
you  could  not.  She  would  die  first.  And  this 
was  one  of  her  mottoes,  —  "Conquer  or  die." 
She  did  both,  and  the  last  was  her  greatest 
victory. 

As  a  reformer,  she  was  radical,  thorough  and 
efficient.  Heart,  head  and  hands  came  freely 
to  her  service.  She  would  aim  first  to  preserve 
and  promote  by  direct  efforts  all  of  good  that 
is  about  us.  She  would  do  this  through  the 
conservative,  Christian  institutions  of  the  day. 
The  home,  the  school,  the  church,  and  various 
charitable  institutions,  she  regarded  as  indispen- 
sable. But  she  did  not  stop  here.  Satan  must 
not  remain  unencountered.  He  must  be  at- 


132  MEMOIR    OF 

tacked  in  his  camp,  and  all  good  people  should 
prepare  for  the  onset.  That  which  is  evil  must 
be  displaced  by  that  which  is  good.  Vice  must 
be  rooted  out  in  order  that  virtue  may  flourish. 
With  her  spirit  and  energy  prevailing  in  our 
midst,  a  greater  labor  would  be  performed,  than 
the  "  cleansing  of  Augean  stables."  The  houses 
of  corruption  and  drunkenness,  which  now  in- 
fect our  moral  atmosphere,  would  be  purified. 
Their  inmates  would  either  flee  the  city,  unable 
to  breathe  our  air,  or  they  would  be  effectually 
reformed. 

As  a  friend,  she  was  generous,  confiding,  and 
to  be  confided  in,  and  numerous  are  her  surviv- 
ors, who  will  bless  her  memory  till  their  latest 
day.  And  her  deeds  of  kindness  to  the  sick, 
the  needy  and  the  wretched,  can  be  known  only 
at  the  final  judgment. 

Life  was  in  her  eyes  intensely  interesting. 
The  future  and  the  eternal  seemed  concentrated 
in  the  present.  The  following  verses  from 
Longfellow's  "Psalm  of  Life,"  express  her  pre- 
vailing feeling : 

"  Life  is  real !  Life  is  earnest ! 

And  the  grave  is  not  its  goal ; 
'  Dust  thou  art,  to  dust  returnest,' — 

Was  not  spoken  of  the  soul. 


HARRIET    WARE.  133 

"  Not  enjoyment  and  not  sorrow, 
Is  our  destined  end  or  way ; 
But  to  act,  that  each  to-morrow 
Finds  us  farther  than  to-day. 

"  Trust  no  future,  howe'er  pleasant! 
Let  the  dead  past  bury  its  dead ! 
Act,  —  act  in  the  living  present ! 
Heart  within  and  God  o'erhead !  " 

It  was  my  privilege  to  witness  the  closing 
scene  of  Miss  Ware's  life.  There  was  nothing 
ecstatic  in  her  manner,  but  a  calm,  heavenly 
spirit  seemed  to  pervade  the  place.  "  Friends, 
do  retire,  and  take  rest;  you  need  it,"  —  was 
her  language  to  some  of  her  household,  in  the 
midst  of  her  dying  pains.  "  Tell  them  I  am 
strong  in  death."  With  these  words  the  spirit 
left  the  body,  and  the  soul  returned  to  God, 
who  gave  it. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

AMOS  PERRY. 

To  Rev.  Dr.  WAYLAND. 


Miss  Ware  expired  June  26th,  1847,  in  the 
48th  year  of  her  age. 

The  following  communication,  addressed  to 
the  friend  associated  with  Miss  Ware  in  the  care 


134  MEMOIR    OF 

of  the  "  Children's  Home,"  was  received  after 
Dr.  Wayland  had  resigned  the  manuscript  to 
the  committee  appointed  to  attend  to  its  publi- 
cation. 

ESTEEMED  FRIEND.  —  I  will  give  you  briefly 
as  I  well  can,  my  leading  impressions  of  Miss 
Ware.  I  think  I  cannot  be  mistaken  in  them, 
for  she  was  singularly  above  disguise ;  and  be- 
ing, as  I  was,  for  the  last  seven  years  of  her 
life,  almost  her  very  next  door  neighbor,  I  had, 
both  in  her  periods  of  health  and  of  sickness, 
most  free  and  frequent  conversations  with  her, 
as  leisure  offered  and  occasion  suggested,  upon 
a  wide  variety  of  those  interests  of  religion  and 
philanthropy,  in  which  her  heart  so  much  led 
its  daily  life.  And  thus  I  am  sure  I  cannot  be 
deceived  in  regard  to  those  essentials  of  her 
character  of  which  I  shall  now  speak. 

How  clearly  her  active  energy  was  one  of 
them,  the  dullest  who  knew  her,  and  will  think 
of  her  a  moment,  will  readily  affirm.  For  it 
marked  every  hour  of  her  life ;  not  only  when 
health,  or  endurable  disease,  permitted  the  cease- 
less labor  of  both  body  and  mind ;  but  when 
also  the  mind  alone  could  labor  on,  as  it  did  to 
the  last,  amidst  the  disorder  of  the  prostrate 
body.  Who  ever  saw  her  idle  or  leisurely  em- 


HARRIET    WARE.  135 

ployed?  All  her  nature  was  alive  with  the 
spirit  of  busy  energy.  Without  it,  or  with  less 
of  it,  she  could  not  have  been  all  she  was,  nor 
could  have  done  all  she  did.  And  that  she 
might  be  and  do  all  she  was  and  did,  He  who 
formed  her  being,  laid  through  all  its  powers 
the  basis  of  a  rare,  ever  impulsive  energy.  And 
its  action  was  all  efficiency,  as  the  action  of  true 
power  always  is.  Others  might  bustle,  impos- 
ingly, she  was  efficient  without  ado.  This  one 
rare  basis  gift  from  the  Author  of  her  being, 
guided  by  others  he  superadded,  filled  her  life, 
closing  at  its  mid-day,  with  results  as  rare  as 
itself. 

And  He  who  gave  her,  through  every  power, 
this  ever  impulsive  life,  placed  it,  in  the  very 
make  of  her  nature,  under  the  control  of  two 
higher,  most  happy  elements  of  character,  a 
tender,  faithful  sympathy,  and  a  quick,  exact 
conscience.  For  when  was  she  ever  unmoved 
at  the  thought  of  evil  borne,  or  of  a  defect  in 
good  enjoyed  by  a  fellow-creature,  and  being 
moved  at  the  thought  of  either,  when  was  she 
ever  unscrupulous  of  the  means  of  relief  at- 
tempted ?  Sympathy  and  conscience  furnished 
a  most  auspicious  lead  for  her  rare  efficiency. 
They  guided  -it  towards  results  as  good  as  they 
might  be  uncommon. 


136  MEMOIR  or 

But  another  guiding  influence  was  added, 
which  was  still  more  powerful,  and  more  nearly 
infallible.  It  was  the  religion  of  Christ,  made 
vital  in  the  heart  by  regeneration,  which  con- 
stitutes immeasurably  the  highest  excellence 
known  in  human  character,  since  sin  first  sup- 
planted holiness  from  within  the  nature  of  man. 
Being  early  in  life  brought  under  the  influence 
of  this  principle,  it  became  thenceforward  the 
ruling  spirit  of  her  character.  Its  great  power 
over  her,  may,  in  part,  be  seen  in  her  estimate 
of  the  Scriptures.  In  other  books,  so  far  as  they 
were  unindebted  to  the  Bible,  she  saw  at  best 
only  the  low  wisdom  of  sinful  men.  In  the 
Bible,  she  heard  only  the  voice  of  God.  On 
other  books  she  could  sit  in  judgment ;  with  a 
spirit,  how  free,  and  modestly  absolute  !  Before 
the  Bible,  she  sat,  only  to  be  judged ;  how  un- 
questioning !  and  that  whether  its  clear,  divine 
voice  approved,  or  condemned,  the  affections  of 
her  heart,  the  views  of  her  understanding,  the 
purposes  of  her  will,  or  the  doings  of  her  life. 
For  she  was  not  one  of  those  who  preposter- 
ously think  it  to  be  less  the  prerogative  of  a 
book  truly  divine,  to  dictate  views  to  the  under- 
standing, than  purposes  to  the  will,  or  actions 
to  the  life.  Nor  did  her  reason  ever  pine  for  a 


HARRIET    WARE.  137 

liberty  and  range  wider  than  that  of  all  truth 
divine.  Its  most  unsearchable  teachings  were 
to  her  as  absolute  verities,  as  its  simplest. 

As  an  example,  through  all  my  numerous  and 
most  free  conversations  with  her,  I  do  not  re- 
member the  slightest  suspicion  ever  to  have 
passed  upon  my  feelings,  that  her  mind  ever 
knew  one  momentary  doubt  in  reference  to  the 
fundamental  doctrines  of  the  evangelical  faith 
to  which  she  adhered.  My  conceptions  of  her 
in  this  respect  is  nothing  short  of  this,  that  her 
faith,'  nurtured  in  the  Spirit  and  Word  of  God, 
so  distinctly  and  positively  recognised  those 
great  truths  that  she  knew  not  even  the  temp- 
tation to  doubt.  For  as  the  Lord  Jesus  said  to 
his  disciples,  "He,  —  the  Holy  Spirit, — shall 
take  of  the  things  that  are  mine  and  shall  show 
them  unto  you ;  "  I  most  readily  conceive  of 
the  Omnipresent  Spirit  as  so  taking  of  the 
things  of  Christ's  uncreated  glory,  and  showing 
them  to  her,  in  her  devout  meditations,  as  to 
render  them  an  intuitive  and  immovable  cer- 
tainty to  her  mind.  And  as  Jesus  said  also  to 
his  followers,  respecting  the  Divine  Spirit, 
"  The  world  seeth  him  not,  neither  knoweth 
him,  but  ye  know  him,  for  he  dwelleth  with 
you,  and  shall  be  in  you ;  "  therefore  most  nat- 


138 


urally  do  I  conceive  of  the  condescending  Spirit 
as  so  dwelling  with  our  lowly  minded  friend, 
as  so  being  in  her  soul  in  his  illumining  and 
purifying  work,  that  she  could  as  soon  question 
the  power  of  Deity  actuating  nature  without, 
as  the  power  of  absolute  Deity  actuating  her 
soul  within  to  truth  and  holiness.  She  stands, 
to  my  view,  not  only  in  these,  but  also  in  all 
the  strong  points  of  her  religious  faith,  a  marked 
exemplification  of  these  most  suggestive  words 
of  Christ  and  of  his  prophets,  concerning  his 
true  disciples,  "  They  shall  be  all  taught  of 
God"  She  was,  I  must  think,  eminently 
"  taught  of  God,"  according  to  the  uncommon 
measure  of  her  devout  lowliness  before  Him, 
and  of  her  simple-hearted,  absolute  faith  in 
Him,  and  in  his  word. 

Chide  not,  I  beg  you,  the  extent  of  this  at- 
tempted insight  into  the  inmost  interior  of  her 
spiritual  life  ;  for  there,  in  these  inmost  ele- 
ments, was  the  vital  centre  and  sum  of  its 
singular  strength.  If  I  may  not  speak  fully  of 
these,  I  must  be  silent.  Set  me  not  to  appre- 
ciate a  strpng  mechanism,  yet  at  the  same  time 
forbid  me  insight  into  the  inmost  seat  of  its 
moving  power.  Analysis  is  knowledge  ;  inti- 
mate analysis  is  thorough  knowledge.  The 


HARRIET    WARE.  139 

thorough  religious  life  I  would  now  at  least 
faintly  sketch,  had  its  central  seat  of  a  thorough 
religious  power.  It  was  our  friend's  devout 
sense  of  the  being  and  glories  of  the  living 
God.  And  this,  I  am  sure,  it  is  no  adulation  to 
say,  raised  her  piety  to  that  highest  grade  which 
it  attains,  godliness ;  the  nearest  approximation 
made  on  earth  to  the  eternal  form  of  the  spirit- 
ual life  in  heaven.  So  far  was  her  faith  from 
being  a  mere  cold,  fruitless,  theological  dogma ; 
it  was,  instead,  the  inmost  vitality  of  the  most 
heavenly  love  and  joys,  her  soul  reached  here 
below. 

And  her  religious  love  and  joys  could  not 
have  attained  the  degree  they  did,  without  her 
strong  estimate  of  sin.  Its  strength,  as  she 
continually  uttered  and  acted  it,  you  have  often 
impressively  felt.  Does  it  not  sometimes  still 
return,  through  memory,  upon  you,  like  a  kind 
of  second  conscience,  coming  as  a  supernatural 
visitant  from  a  sainted  dweller  in  the  world  of 
spirits ;  and  for  the  time,  waking  all  your  soul, 
as  if  to  the  very  estimate  of  sin,  which  fills  all 
minds  in  that  world  of  the  immortal  and  the 
glorious  ?  How  seldom  have  we  met  with  one 
whose  whole  spirit  was  fraught  with  so  keen, 
so  thoroughly  conscientious  and  scriptural  a 


140  MEMOIR    OF 

sense  of  the  essential  evil  of  all  sin.  It  stood 
to  her  view,  as  involving  intrinsic  evil,  without 
limit ;  therefore  demerit,  without  limit,  arid 
therefore  if  unrepented  and  unforgiven,  drawing 
on  an  award  of  woe,  without  limit,  in  the  only 
direction  in  which  it  can  he,  that  of  duration. 
To  suppose  all  earnest  emotions  of  a  renewed 
heart,  and  all  vivid  conceptions  of  a  spiritually 
enlightened  mind,  gathered  into  one  most  in- 
tense sentiment  of  reprobation,  and  feeling  of 
vehement  repugnance,  would  not  exceed  my 
conception  of  her  disposition  towards  sin ;  es- 
pecially as  she  saw  it  in  her  own  fallen  nature. 
And  she  saw  sin  in  so  strong  a  light,  because 
she  saw  and  felt  it  to  be  utter  wrong,  done  to 
more  than  one  or  two  immediate  divine  mani- 
festations of  infinite  goodness  and  grace.  To 
say  the  least,  she  saw  it  to  be  utmost  wrong, 
not  less  to  atoning,  interceding  mercy,  and  to 
renovating  grace,  than  to  providential  goodness. 
In  this  light,  it  was  spiritual  evil  redoubled  and 
redoubled  upon  itself. 

But  a  paradox  though  it  be,  this  very  sense 
of  God,  and  of  sin,  made  pardon  a  good,  truly 
immeasurable,  as  is  the  evil  of  sin  forgiven ; 
and  a  good  immediately  divine  also,  since  it  is 
the  purchase  of  a  Divine  Atonement.  The 


HARRIET    WARE.  141 

same  high  faith  made  the  renovation  of  the  soul 
from  indwelling  siii  to  indwelling  holiness,  a 
joy  measureless  also,  and  as  truly,  immediately 
divine.  This  also  opened  upon  her  a  view  of 
all  providential  dispensations,  as  guided  by  a 
hand  divine,  subserving  so  great  a  redemption, 
and  yielding  therefore  a  joy  divine  and  fathom- 
less. In  this  her  divine  faith,  the  great  elements 
of  her  spiritual  life  were  thus  joy  redoubled  and 
redoubled  upon  joy ;  which  eternity  shall  cease- 
lessly deepen  and  heighten,  and  ceaselessly 
attest  to  be  all  divine.  Here,  in  these  grand 
essentials  of  her  religious  character,  is  found 
the  spirit  of  her  ardent  attachment  to  the  whole 
evangelical  church,  and  the  spirit  also  of  her 
most  careful  fidelity  in  the  church,  in  which  she 
was  a  member  in  covenant ;  for  the  care  of  its 
prosperity  was  upon  her  daily. 

This  strong  view  of  her  interior  religious  life, 
illustrates  most  clearly,  the  ready  ardor,  with 
which  she  greeted  the  first  dawn  of  a  revival  of 
religion,  and  labored  unsparingly  through  all  its 
periods,  to  win  souls  to  an  experimental  religion, 
so  full  of  power  and  blessedness  to  her  own 
soul,  and  illustrates  her  intense  emotions,  when 
any  in  the  "  Children's  Home  "  seemed  won  to 
religion,  experimental  like  her  own.  From  her 


MEMOIR    OF 

strong  spirituality  flowed  also  her  warm  relig- 
ious compassion  towards  all  mankind  ;  the  bond 
and  the  free,  heathen  and  Christian,  Jew  and 
Gentile  ;  towards  the  vile  outcast  Magdalen  and 
the  children  of  the  vicious,  in  their  revolting 
degradation.  Like  Christ,  she  would  relieve 
the  body  from  temporal  evil,  that  by  the  attrac- 
tive kindness  she  might  win  the  soul  from 
eternal  evil. 

It  was  this  strong  form  of  Christianity  in  her 
.  inmost  soul,  which  made  her  every-day  conver- 
sation so  characteristically,  so  beautifully  relig- 
ious. She  could  indulge  in  wit  and  pleasantry  ; 
she  often  did.  But  they  were  chastened  by  a 
religious  spirit.  It  never  forsook  her.  Most 
unaffectedly  did  it  flow  in  her  words,  out  of  the 
abundance  of  the  heart.  How  many  times,  yes, 
times  without  number,  have  I  felt  the  charm  of 
that  smile  of  artless,  quiet,  almost  heavenly 
pleasure,  which  so  much,  ever  and  anon,  irradi- 
ated her  conversation.  It  beamed  the  more,  as 
sickness  bore  her  towards  heaven.  I  think  I 
have  never  seen  the  human  will  so  swallowed 
up  blissfully  in  the  Divine,  as  it  was  in  her,  as 
she  saw  her  course  on  earth  approaching  its 
close.  Said  she  to  me,  most  impressively,  as 
she  laid  upon  her  sick  bed,  "  I  could  not  lift  my 
finger,  to  alter  any  thing  God  does." 


HARRIET    WARE.  143 

Such  a  character,  from  its  nature,  could  but 
conciliate  the  favor  and  cooperation  of  the  de- 
voutly good.  But,  what  is  far  more,  when  God 
had  formed  such  a  character,  he  would  honor  it 
by  his  own  powerful,  providential  cooperation. 
Having  wrought  mightily  in  her,  he  wrought 
most  signally  with  her,  and  by  her.  Having 
made  her  desires  greatly,  purely,  sacredly,  be- 
nevolent, he  made  her  work  on  earth  greatly 
beneficent.  Having  made  her  soul,  in  an  un- 
common degree,  a  monument  of  his  efficacious 
grace,  he  guided  and  blessed  her  hand,  to  de- 
sign, and  execute,  and  leave  behind,  an  uncom- 
mon monument  of  the  power  of  a  Christian 
female  for  distinguished  usefulness.  Her  invis- 
ible life  of  holiness,  and  her  visible  life  of  use- 
fulness were  but  counterparts  of  the  complete 
whole  of  her  history ;  all  wrought  of  God,  to 
his  own  praise. 

You  will  not  say  I  attribute  perfection  to  our 
friend.  She  had  her  imperfections.  But  what 
were  they  to  her  virtues  ?  Like  the  shadows 
of  thinly  scattered  clouds  upon  a  scenery  of 
broad,  deep,  pure  light.  Such  was  her  charac- 
ter, to  us  mortals,  who,  unlike  the  Omniscient, 
look  at  the  outward  appearance ;  and  the 
shadows  grew  less  and  less,  until,  did  not  all 


144  MEMOIR    OF 

seem  like  holy  light,  as  mortal  eyes  surrendered 
up  the  object  of  their  gaze  to  those  of  the  an- 
gelic convoy  ? 

I  shall  never  forget  the  sweet  evening  hour, 
that  completed  her  history  here  below ;  for 
her  chamber  looked  full  upon  our  own,  but  just 
across  the  way ;  and  we  but  too  well  knew  that 
the  moment,  by  others  deprecated,  and  to  her 
most  welcome,  had  arrived.  The  evening  scene 
befitted  her  transition  from  an  earthly  to  a 
heavenly  abode.  The  air  was  all  hushed  to 
listening  stillness.  From  a  cloudless  sky,  the 
moon,  midway  its  ascent  in  the  east,  poured  its 
full,  soft  radiance  on  all  around.  The  azure 
above  and  verdure  below,  waited  motionless, 
decked  in  serene,  solemn  beauty.  She,  our 
dying  friend,  asked  to  look  out  once  more  on 
nature ;  for  she  loved  God  in  his  works,  while 
she  adored  Him  unutterably  in  his  word  of 
grace  and  salvation.  And  then  she  left  us  all, 
whom  she  loved,  and  who  loved  her,  that  mes- 
sage, far  as  I  know,  so  entirely  unique  in  the 
annals  of  Christian  obituary,  yet  so  expressive 
of  the  very  spirit  of  her  nature,  of  her  inmost 
religious  life,  and  of  her  history,  "  Tell  them  all 
I  am  strong  in  death." 

In  sacred  sympathy,  your  friend, 

JONATHAN  LEAVITT. 


HARRIET    WARE.  145 


CONCLUSION. 

I  HAVE  but  little  to  add  to  the  foregoing  de- 
lineations of  the  character  of  Miss  Ware.  A 
few  suggestions,  however,  have  occurred  to  me 
as  worthy  of  notice,  in  order  to  render  the  con- 
ception of  her  manner  of  life  more  distinct  and 
individual. 

In  religious  belief,  Miss  Ware  was  an  Ortho- 
dox Congregationalist,  adhering,  with  her  char- 
acteristic firmness,  to  the  sentiments  of  the 
eminent  divines  of  that  denomination.  It  is 
my  impression,  that  her  views  coincided  with 
those  of  Jonathan  Edwards  more  nearly  than 
with  those  of  any  other  uninspired  teacher. 
She  had,  it  is  true,  been  a  disciple  of  Dr.  Em- 
mons,  whom  she  loved  and  revered  with  almost 
a  filial  affection ;  but  the  structure  of  her  mind, 
and  the  circumstances  in  which  she  was  placed, 
led  her,  as  I  apprehend,  to  less  abstract  views  of 
truth  than  those  adopted  by  that  distinguished 
theologian.  The  doctrines  ever  present  to  her 
thoughts  were  those  of  the  entire  alienation  of 
the  human  heart  from  God,  the  utter  impossi- 
bility of  justification  by  the  works  of  the  law, 
the  divinity  of  Christ,  the  free  offer  of  eternal 
10 


146  MEMOIR    OF 

life  through  his  merits  and  intercession;  the 
necessity  of  the  agency  of  the  Spirit  to  the 
conversion  of  sinners  and  the  sanctification  of 
believers ;  the  simple  veracity  of  all  the  prom- 
ises of  God,  and  the  necessity  of  self-denying 
good  works  as  an  evidence  of  piety.  In  earlier 
life,  she  dwelt  much  on  the  sovereignty  of  God, 
but,  in  later  years,  as  she  has  remarked,  the 
doctrine  of  "  Christ  crucified  "  had  more  entirely 
occupied  her  attention.  What,  however,  was 
particularly  remarkable  in  her  character,  was 
not  the  belief  of  these  doctrines,  but  the  manner 
in  which  she  believed  them.  Every  one  of 
them  was  not  merely  an  article  of  belief,  but 
the  reason  for  a  particular  line  of  conduct. 
Hence  they  became  the  mould  in  which  her 
character  was  cast ;  the  principles  which  deter- 
mined her  action  in  the  ordinary  as  well  as  the 
extraordinary  circumstances  of  life.  The  su- 
perintending providence  of  God  was  to  her  a 
ground  for  unfailing  trust.  The  goodness  of 
God  was  a  perpetual  incitement  to  gratitude ; 
the  holiness  of  God  repelled  her  from  sin ;  the 
love  of  Christ  constrained  her ;  and  thus,  she 
rapidly  grew  to  the  stature  of  consistent  and 
well  developed  Christianity. 

While,  however,  her  attainments  in  the  Chris- 


HARRIET    WARE.  147 

tian  life  were  thus  uncommon,  it  is  scarcely 
possible  to  conceive  of  a  person  penetrated  with 
more  sincere  humility.  She  evidently  loathed 
to  hear  herself  spoken  of  with  any  particular 
commendation.  Her  views  of  the  Christian 
character  were  so  elevated,  and  her  conceptions 
of  the  holiness  of  God  so  intense,  that,  compar- 
ing herself  by  these  standards,  she  habitually 
adopted  the  language  of  the  publican,  "  God  be 
merciful  to  me  a  sinner."  The  idea  that  she 
could  by  any  good  work  bring  God  under  any 
obligation,  or  do  any  thing  that  could  be  of  the 
nature  of  a  justification,  was  specially  odious  to 
her.  She  knew  that  if  she  had  done  all,  she 
would  be  but  an  unprofitable  servant ;  and 
knowing  that  all  her  services  were  imperfect 
and  mingled  with  sin,  she  sought  for  justifica- 
tion wholly  through  the  merits  of  Christ,  and 
from  him  alone  looked  for  righteousness,  sanc- 
tification  and  redemption. 

While,  however,  she  held  her  own  belief 
with  rare  firmness  and  distinctness,  she  was  in 
a  remarkable  degree  free  from  censoriousness. 
That  perfect  freedom  which  she  claimed  for 
herself,  she  was  prompt  to  concede  to  others. 
Uniting  with  all  who  were  willing  to  unite  with 
her  in  any  good  work,  when  there  was  no  sur- 


MEMOIR    OF 

render  of  principle,  she  forbore  to  judge  those 
who  differed  from  her.  Knowing  that  to  his 
own  master  every  one  of  us  standeth  or  falleth, 
she  was  not  prone  to  prejudge  the  decision  of 
Omniscience ;  and  while  she  held  that  every  por- 
tion of  revealed  truth  was  of  inestimable  im- 
portance, she  pretended  riot  to  determine,  in  any 
particular  case,  how  great  a  degree  of  error  is 
of  necessity  exclusive  of  the  hope  of  salvation. 
In  order  to  the  more  perfect  appreciation  of 
the  character  of  Miss  Ware,  it  may  not  be  inap- 
propriate to  refer  to  the  defects  to  which  she 
was  naturally  liable.  These  seemed  to  me,  not 
to  belong  to  her  principles  of  action,  but  rather 
to  the  practical  results  to  which  she  was  led. 
Like  many  persons  of  strong  original  views,  she 
was  perhaps  not  sufficiently  aware  of  the  limits 
within  which  general  principles  must  frequently 
be  restricted.  Thus,  her  desire  to  befriend 
orphans,  was,  I  think,  liable  to  lead  her  into  a 
course  by  which  vicious  parents  might  be  re- 
lieved of  their  natural  responsibility.  Her  desire 
to  rescue  from  destruction  every  child  that  was 
brought  to  her,  would  sometimes  induce  her  to 
receive  into  the  family  those  whom  other  per- 
sons would  have  preferred  to  send  to  the  alms- 
house,  from  a  fear  of  the  moral  contamination 


HARRIET    WARE.  149 

which  they  might  communicate  to  others.  Her 
benevolence  led  her  rather  to  look  at  the  indi- 
vidual good  that  might  be  accomplished,  than 
at  the  general  principles  by  which  all  good 
effort  is  to  be  regulated. 

Whatever  were  the  errors,  however,  to  which 
she  might  be  liable,  the  practical  injury  was  less 
under  her  supervision  than  under  that  of  any 
person  whom  I  remember  to  have  known.  She 
was  so  eminently  self-sacrificing,  and  so  sleep- 
lessly  vigilant,  that  her  practice  corrected  in  a 
remarkable  degree  the  evils  of  her  theory ;  and 
hence,  the  success  of  her  efforts  was  such  as 
has  rarely  in  any  similar  case  been  realized.  If, 
in  this  manner,  she  erred  in  judgment,  her  errors 
were  those  of  an  unusually  independent,  self- 
sacrificing  and  earnest  benevolence.  The  pro- 
portion of  persons  of  this  character  is,  unfortu- 
nately, too  small  to  render  their  errors  of  great 
practical  evil  to  the  cause  of  Christian  charity. 

The  personal  appearance  of  Miss  Ware  was, 
in  no  respect,  remarkable.  Her  features  were 
plain,  and  except  her  eye,  which  was  intense 
and  intelligent,  she  would  not  have  been  distin- 
guished from  any  woman  in  the  ordinary  walks 
of  life.  Her  dress  was  not  only  simple  but 
cheap.  She  had  far  too  high  a  conception  of 


150 


MEMOIR    OF 


the  value  of  money,  to  spend  it  upon  any  thing 
merely  ornamental.  She  needed  all,  she  could 
command  in  order  to  gratify  her  impassioned 
benevolence,  and  hence  she  restricted  her  ex- 
penses within  the  narrowest  possible  limit,  that 
she  might  reserve  the  more  to  bestow  upon  the 
needy.  Her  manners  were  natural  and  un- 
affected. As  she  never  appeared  any  where 
without  a  definite  reason,  the  object  so  totally 
occupied  her  mind  that  she  never  thought  of 
herself,  and  her  strong  sense  at  once  pointed  out 
the  position  which  good  breeding  would  require 
her  to  assume.  Always  self-possessed,  always 
frank  and  fearless,  she  spoke  on  all  occasions 
the  language  of  simple  verity ;  but  she  never 
spoke  with  acrimony,  and  never  violated  the 
usages  which  protect  from  invasion  the  minor 
rights  of  our  fellow-men. 

The  lesson  which  may  be  learned  from  this 
brief  narrative,  is,  I  think,  easily  learned ;  I 
wish  that  I  could  add,  it  is  easily  put  in  prac- 
tice. I  think  it  teaches,  that  a  great  power  for 
good  is  placed  in  the  hands  of  all  of  us,  if  we 
had  but  the  energy  and  self-sacrifice  to  use  it. 
Here  was  a  young  woman  of  ordinary  New 
England  education,  endowed  with  no  power  of 
fascination,  destitute  of  friends,  and  almost  un- 


HARRIET    WARE.  151 

known  in  this  city,  who  visited  it  on  an  errand 
of  mercy.  She  entered  at  once  upon  the  most 
self-denying  undertaking  within  her  knowledge. 
She  thought  of  nothing  but  her  object ;  and 
God,  who  knew  her  heart,  furnished  her  with 
aid  as  she  needed  it.  As  obstacles  presented 
themselves,  she  surmounted  them ;  and  when 
her  plans,  in  the  course  of  divine  Providence, 
seemed  all  to  be  frustrated,  it  turned  out,  in  the 
end,  that  disappointment  was  nothing  but  the 
means  of  leading  her  to  the  very  field  of  useful- 
ness which,  above  all  others,  she  had  specially 
longed  for.  As  means  were  needed,  they  were 
from  time  to  time  supplied ;  and  she  was  not 
removed  by  death  until  her  most  cherished 
wishes  were  gratified,  and  an  institution  was 
permanently  founded  for  the  benefit  of  those 
orphans  to  whom  she  had  consecrated  her  life. 
Did  Christian  men  and  women  adopt  and  act 
upon  her  principles,  how  soon  would  vice  and 
misery  be  banished  from  the  earth.  Such,  it 
seems  to  me,  is  the  lesson  to  be  learned  from 
her  life ;  and  every  page  of  her  brief  history  is 
written  over  and  over  with  the  command,  "  Go 
thou  and  do  likewise." 


BR 

1725 

W33 

W3 

1850 


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